Sino/Russian Unity: What Washington Fears Most

By Stephen Lendman
5-19-14

China is an economic powerhouse. It's the world's second largest economy. It's heading for number one status.

Perhaps sooner than most expect. It's growth way outdistances America. It's multiples greater.

Russia matches Washington's military might. It does so in nuclear weapons strength. With sophisticated delivery systems.

Able to strike global targets accurately. With hugely destructive force. Enough to decimate potential adversaries. Perhaps to discourage potential aggression.

Russia is rich in what China needs most. Oil and gas mainly. Technological expertise. Industrial equipment. Sophisticated weapons.

Each nation is significant separately. They're able to challenge America responsibly.

Together they're a powerful combination. A force for world peace. For multi-polarity. For humanity. For weakening Washington's imperium.

Sino-Russian ties stress unity. They're strategically important. They're stronger than ever in modern times.

They're deepening. They expanding. Washington is increasingly concerned. It's going all-out to subvert what weakens its strength.

It's waging political, economic and cyberwar. It's fighting a losing battle. Sino/Russian unity is odds on to prevail.

Especially with committed ties. With deepening ones. With stronger than ever ones.

On Tuesday, Putin arrived in Shanghai. It's China's financial capital. He came to finalize a "Holy Grail" trade deal. It's enormously important.

It bonds both countries more closely together. It does so politically economically, commercially and militarily.

Both countries will trade increasingly in their own currencies. They'll strengthen them. They'll bypass dollar transactions. They'll weaken it.

Russia will supply China with around 38 billion cubic million meters of natural gas annually. For the next 30 years.

It may double in size ahead. Depending on China's internal needs.

Other increased trade was agreed on. In technological, industrial, and commercial sectors. In military hardware.

Growing Sino-Russian trade lessens reliance on increasingly undependable Western sources. It gives them less access to their markets.

Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping reject irresponsible US-led Western bashing. They called sanctions political tools.

They condemned "encouraging and financing" Washington's regime change agenda.

The President of Russia's web site headlined "Russian-Chinese talks." Both leaders met in Shanghai.

They "signed a Joint Declaration of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China on the new stage of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation between the two countries."

They "witnessed the signing of a package of intergovernmental, interdepartmental and commercial documents on cooperation in the economy, trade, energy and the humanitarian areas."

They issued a joint statement. "(A)mbitious goals" were agreed on, it said. "(L)ong-term milestones" were established.

"(I)mportant bilateral documents" were signed. "Relations between Russia and the People’s Republic of China are developing successfully and have reached a new level of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation," it stressed.

"(S)pecial attention (was on) economic issues. China is Russia's leading foreign trade partner."

A Sino/Russian Investment Committee was established. Its mandate is expanding economic and financial ties.

It's "diversifying trade." It's "reducing…dependence on global economic" conditions.

It's promoting cooperation in "technology-intensive areas." They include industrial, commercial, banking and military areas.

They're increasing bilateral ruble/renminbi trade. It bears repeating. Doing so bypasses dollar transactions. It weakens dollar strength.

Putin said "the historical memory of the great heroism of our peoples in World War II brings Russia and China even closer."

Both leaders agreed to hold joint celebrations. They'll commemorate "the 70th anniversary of Victory."

Other international issues were discussed. They include common geopolitical ones. Similar priorities are shared. Closer coordination is planned.

Sino/Russian unity, partnership and friendship were strengthened. It's a "new stage" in "strategic relations."

Strong bilateral relations are a force to be reckoned with. It promises to be more so ahead.

Moscow remains justifiably angry. It's enraged about Washington elevating Kiev putschists to power. Rogue EU partners share blame.

Putin and Xi said crisis conditions can only be resolved diplomatically. They demand dialogue. They reject confrontation.

They "urged all Ukrainian regions and public and political groups to enter in broad nationwide talks…"

They want responsible governance. They want legitimate constitutional development.

They want "universally recognized rights and freedoms of people" observed.

Sergey Lavrov said Russian/EU/US-led NATO relations need fundamental reconsideration.

They require "essential rethinking," he said. Disagreements must be resolved diplomatically, he stressed.

US-led NATO created Ukrainian crisis conditions. Russia targeting followed.

Western forces irresponsibly expand eastward. Encroaching on Russia's borders threatens its heartland.

Bilateral relations are jeopardized. East/West confrontation is risked. So is world peace.

The road to Moscow runs through Kiev. Junta power has no legitimacy. Fundamental freedoms are targeted.

Eliminating them altogether is planned. Hardline rules runs things. Opposition isn't tolerated.

Free expression is verboten. Putschists want their message alone getting out. They want vital truths suppressed.

Independent journalists aren't safe. Russian LifeNews ones were targeted.

Oleg Sidyankin and Marat Saichenk were harassed. They were arrested. They're detained. They're held incommunicado.

Their lives potentially are endangered. They're charged with "aiding terrorist groups."

They released damning video images. They showed Kiev military forces using UN-marked attack helicopters against their own people."

Air and ground assaults murder them in cold blood. Kiev wants this type information buried.

It wants reliable news sources eliminated. RT International's stringer journalist Graham Phillips was arrested.

He explained by phone before silenced incommunicado, saying:

"I’m sitting at a blockade post in a portacabin. The dialogue is quite interrogation oriented."

His car was searched. His laptop, equipment and personal belongings were confiscated.

"At the moment I’m with the Ukrainian forces…near Mariupol," he said. "I've been here for over two hours and I've been described, my status, as being detained in terms of I can't leave."

"I would also say I'm being treated OK…I believe that someone is coming."

"They've done checks on my documentation. They found my reports and clips I've done and they're now looking through them asking me my position on things, asking if I'm a spy, and asking me quite thorough questions."

"They've checked all my documentation and photos, my laptop and the car. So that's who I'm with at the moment."

He was asked about separatism. About working with RT. He "describ(ed) (his) position on Crimea."

He called its referendum legitimate. He stands by his position, he said.

He called Kiev's government illegitimate. It "isn't democratic. I don't support this current situation in the east of Ukraine," he said.

In Donetsk and Lugansk regions. He called attacking Eastern Ukrainians "completely wrong."

At the same time, he "maintains complete objectivity and neutrality as a correspondent."

His bulletproof jacket and helmet were confiscated. He’s unharmed so far, he said. Incommunicado since cut off there's no way to know for sure.

Right Sector thugs targeted him. They put a bounty on his head. They offered $10,000 for his capture.

They called him a "Russian spy." His life's endanger in their hands. Or in sight to be shot in cold blood.

Radicalized Kiev elements posted a Facebook comment. He "works for terrorists," it said.

"(H)e photographs and publishes the location of Ukrainian troops…"

He "spreads disinformation. (He publishes) Putin's propaganda in the media."

"He must be immediately detained by Ukrainian forces ad deported from Ukraine." Orders come from "EuroMaidan leaders," it claimed.

Russia's Foreign Ministry condemned his detention. Its human rights commissioner Konstantin Dolgov called it media obstruction.

"This is another step…made by Ukrainian authorities to curb the activities of unwanted journalists," he said.

They "work professionally and show an objective picture, the ugly side of the outrages made by ultranationalists, the results of (Kiev putschists') punitive operation in the southeast," he stressed.

Seizing Phillips constitutes an "unlawful seizure, detention of Russian journalists." Moscow demands all lawlessly detained media representatives be released.

Kiev "continues its vicious line," Dolgov added. Coup-appointed officials spurn their "international obligations concerning freedom of speech."

They target media freedom. They want it eliminated altogether. They want their message alone reported. They want truth buried.

They want fascist putschist power enhanced. They deplore democratic values.

They want ordinary Ukrainians having no say. Polls show their popularity eroding. They risk losing it overwhelmingly.

Perhaps nationwide rebellion will follow. When ruthlessness exceeds levels too great to tolerate, all bets are off.

The only solution is nonviolent revolution. Perhaps just a matter of time. It can't happen a moment too soon.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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