Huanqiu published a commentary article on whether Russia’s rise is good or bad for China. Below is an excerpt translated from the commentary:
Moscow ignored the West’s warnings and announced the Crimea’s quick "return" to the Russian family. Putin’s geopolitical guts shocked the world’s political strategists. The shock to the United States and Europe has far-reaching implications.
Chinese public opinion is roughly divided into two factions. One highly valued Putin’s strong striking back at the West, believing that Putin’s tough strategy will help reduce the pressure on China from the West. The other is worried that Russia’s Crimea victory will encourage Moscow’s arrogance or even "tyranny." Beijing may have difficulty in dealing with Moscow in the future. Some people worry that Russia’s rise again will see the recurrence of the past Tsarist Russia or the Soviet Union and lead to a new geopolitical nightmare for China.
China’s position in Asia and the world is no longer the same as in the old times. The contrast between China and Russia’s overall national strength has also undergone historical changes. In the current situation between the two countries and with the potential for future development, China does not need to be more cautious of Russia than Russia of China.
For quite a long time to come, China’s biggest strategic pressure will come from the U.S.-led Western powers. This pressure is both geopolitical and also, to a large extent, at the level of ideology and values. It is everywhere and it is also China’s core issue in the 21st century. It is much larger than the variables that may cause worries between China and Russia.
Russia’s rise, in terms of strength and scale, is not without limit. China advocates a multi-polar world. If there is a relatively strong Russia to jointly promote the formation of a multi-polar world, it is much better than a world dominated by a uni-polar U.S. that has the final say.
Source: Huanqiu, March 20, 2014
http://mil.huanqiu.com/observation/2014-03/4917361.html