Although Russia and China have matching interests, our countries are not strategic partners. And we cannot be completely trusted in China.
This idea was expressed today by Academician Alexei Arbatov during the online session of Primakov Readings, organized by the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) RAS and Interfax News Agency.
Academician Arbatov heads the Center for International Security at IMEMO. He considers, that Russia should become an independent center of power in the modern world.
Alexey Arbatov mentioned the events of half a century ago, when relations between Moscow and Beijing were so spoiled, what the USSR called China the main threat to peace. Academician believes, that today we hit the other extreme, calling China a strategic partner:
You can't rush from one extreme to another, then we have China the biggest threat to peace, then he is our strategic ally or partner. You cannot rush with such concepts. A strategic ally is when you are ready to send your soldiers to fight for the interests of your ally and vice versa. I'm sure, that we and China do not and will not have such a situation.
