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The third side of the strategic triangle
Cooperation between Russia and China has been building for several years. The bitter rivalry between Moscow and Beijing eased rapidly with the end of the Cold War, and by the China had become Russia's largest arms customer. By 1996, the leaders of the two countries were describing their relationship as a «strategic partnership». and it became routine for Russia and the People's Republic of China (PRC) to issue joint statements criticizing US policy on such issues as NATO expansion, the US-led military intervention in the Balkans, and the development of ballistic-missile defenses.
That cooperation has deepened on several levels. Politically, it is symbolized by the creation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The SCO, whose membership consists of Russia, China, and four Central Asian countries, has as its primary focus combating Islamic extremism. But an important secondary motive — as various SCO statements and communiquйs make clear — is to contain America's increasingly dominant position in Asia.
Russia and China clearly wish to avoid a confrontational relationship with the United States, if that is possible. Russia has been supporting most aspects of the US war against terrorism, responding mildly to US withdrawal from the ABM Treaty, and even indicating that a second round of NATO expansion will not prove fatal to US-Russian relations. China, too, has sought to minimize frictions. Both Russia and China regard their economic links to the US-led West as vital.
The triangular relationship involving Russia, China and the United States is critically important. If the strategic triangle is managed properly, the danger of a great-power war in the coming decades will be virtually eliminated. If managed improperly, the 21st century could proceed down the same violent path as the 20th century. Much will depend on the wisdom of US policy.
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