One of the people I remember from my days as a kid on the Lower East Side was a rav who survived the camps. People who understood these things considered him a tremendous talmid chacham. Unfortunately, his horrendous experiences in the camps took a toll, and long after the war was over he was incredibly cynical. It was unmistakable. Whatever he talked about – whether it was the then-current-events, politics, family – everything was oozing with cynicism.
In those days, I was more interested in spending time with other kids than I was in solving the world’s problems, but one thing he said I still remember: There would come a day when Russia (then called the USSR) and China would get together and fight America.
That was a mouthful! Back then, America was not only a superpower but “the” superpower. The USSR was a very distant second and China was decades behind – by some measures, even more than that.
So, while his remark at that time was unsettling, it was unimaginable. These days, however, those very same words have a ring of truth to them. In fact, this scenario may actually be playing out before our eyes.
Marching To The Beat Of The Same Drum
These days, China and Russia see eye-to-eye on most major issues and are cooperating in ways that were unthinkable just a few years ago.
Both want to dethrone the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency, and both have taken an aggressive (if not hostile) stand together in opposing the US. Also, both are playing hardball with their neighbors, without even a pretense of trying to keep tensions down. They are also getting involved in issues that are far beyond the scope of their borders.
For example, China recently worked on a peace deal in the Middle East between Saudi Arabia and its nemesis Iran - both OPEC members that have been at each other’s throats for years.
In March, China presented a 12-point peace plan that would have handed parts of Ukraine to Russia – not as altruistic as it sounds, as China would be positioned to profit from the numerous rebuilding projects that would be vital to restoring Ukraine’s infrastructure. According to one analyst, China has also put together various deals with countries that oppose what they call “Western hegemony.”
At the same time, Russia is also becoming more aggressive. It is threatening escalation of the war with Ukraine and raising tensions with America. Unlike China, which sent balloons over strategic American targets, Russia sent four bombers and jets over Alaska. More recently, it has encroached on US-controlled air space in Syria.
China’s President Xi Jinping also offered strong support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Right now, there are changes the likes of which we haven’t seen in 100 years,” he told Putin after their recent meeting, “and we’re the ones driving those changes together.”
What The World Doesn’t Need
It seems that wherever resources are being mined and new business ventures signed, China is there. For example, it recently signed a $540 million energy deal with the Taliban. In Bolivia, it signed a deal to mine the world’s largest lithium reserves.
It’s easy to dismiss all this as highly-skilled business savvy, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But what can’t be overlooked is that both of these countries apparently are eager to do business with absolutely everyone and anybody, regardless of their ethics. “China and Russia are forming partnerships,” said an analyst. “It doesn’t matter if that country is attacking its neighbors or committing genocide against its own people. That’s the world these two leaders are trying to form” - not just for themselves but for everyone.
Russia said last year “it was building a new democratic world order with China,” although exactly how “democratic” that is remains a matter of opinion. As the rav in the East Side predicted so many years ago, an alliance between these two has clearly been established, and they’re attempting to draw in any country in which the West has influence.
This is even evident in Ukraine. China has supported Russia politically and economically, in contrast to most Western nations that have taken a strong stand against Russia. While the official line from China is that it has not sold Russia major weapons systems, the story in real life may be very different.
Many Chinese weapons have in fact been sent to Russia, and “it would be naive to think these will not end up on the battlefield,” said the analyst. “Chinese companies have sold Russia parts for drones that have already shown up on the battlefield.”
According to a report in The New York Times in late March, “China has shipped more than $12 million in drones to Russia since it invaded the Ukraine, an indication of the quiet collaboration between the two.” Given the growing ties between them, is it possible they may – or already have – also reached agreements on selling weapons or even established alliances to support each other in their territorial claims?
The Future Of Humanity
After Xi’s recent meeting with Putin, China’s government released a statement that their relationship has reached the point where “it has acquired importance for the future of humanity.”
In an address to the Russian people on Sept. 21, 2022, Putin said, “When the territorial integrity of (Russia) is threatened…we will without reservation use all the means at our disposal. This is not a bluff.” An article in The Wall Street Journal agreed with that.
So far, the world has been fortunate, as terrifying threats hurled by Russian leaders have been only that and nothing more. Will things remain this way?
Let’s hope it will. But consider this: A new element may be entering into the picture, and that’s economic chaos, including possible market plunges, even more bank instability, and a major recession, chas v’shalom. Some historians believe that in the past there has been a link between some wars and major economic downturns - the Weimar Republic is just one example.
As we have entered into a season of miracles, we need one more, where cooler heads prevail. This could bring an end to the threats and miseries the world has experienced during the last three years, and lead to peace and simchah.
A chag kasher v’sameach to all!
Sources: cityplanning.com; cnbc.com; nyt.com; politico.eu; wsj.com
Gerald Harris is a financial and feature writer. Gerald can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
