The US is trying to separate Russia from China - an old strategy in a new geopolitical reality

The US attempt to weaken the alliance between Russia and China is not a new idea in world politics. Similar approaches were used during the Cold War, when Washington tried to exploit the conflict between Beijing and the USSR.

Today, this strategy is again actively discussed against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, the escalation of confrontation between the US and China, and Washington's attempts to reformat the global balance of power. In political circles, there are even suggestions that the US may try to some extent to "pull" Russia away from China to weaken its main geopolitical competitor - Beijing.

Whether such a strategy really exists, why Washington needs it, and whether it has a chance of success – in the material of UNN.

Historical precedent: how the US used the conflict between China and the USSR

The idea of weakening the alliance between two great powers is not new and has deep roots in the history of the Cold War.

In the 1950s, China and the Soviet Union were considered the main allies in the communist camp. In 1950, a Treaty of Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual Assistance was even signed between them. The USSR helped China develop its industry, transferred technology, and supported military modernization.

However, by the late 1950s, contradictions began to grow between the two states. Chinese leader Mao Zedong sharply criticized Nikita Khrushchev's policy, particularly his course towards "peaceful coexistence" with the West. Beijing believed that the USSR was gradually moving away from a rigid anti-Western line.

In 1960, the conflict escalated to such an extent that the Soviet Union recalled thousands of its engineers and specialists from China. In fact, this marked the beginning of a complete political break between the two countries.

The rivalry quickly turned military. In 1969, armed clashes occurred between China and the USSR on Damansky Island on the Ussuri River. The conflict was so serious that the world even spoke of the possibility of a major war between the two communist states.

It was at this moment that the United States decided to take advantage of the confrontation between Beijing and Moscow. The architect of the new American policy was US National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger. He developed the concept of so-called "triangular diplomacy," in which the US, USSR, and China were to balance each other.

 In 1971, Kissinger made a secret visit to Beijing, which was preparation for a historic event. In February 1972, US President Richard Nixon made a historic visit to China and met with Mao Zedong. This marked the beginning of the normalization of relations between Washington and Beijing after more than twenty years of complete isolation.

As a result, China gradually began to emerge from the orbit of Soviet influence, and the United States gained the opportunity to weaken the USSR's position in the global geopolitical struggle. It is this experience of Kissinger's "triangular diplomacy" that is often recalled today when analyzing US attempts to influence relations between Russia and China.

Why the US would want to weaken the Moscow-Beijing alliance

Today, China is considered the main strategic competitor of the United States in the 21st century. This is not only about military rivalry, but also about economics, technology, global markets, and political influence.

If China and Russia act as a strategic alliance, it creates a much more complex geopolitical situation for the United States. The combination of Chinese economic power and Russian resources and military potential could become a serious challenge for the West.

That is why Washington may be considering options to weaken this partnership. International expert, Ph.D. in Political Science Stanislav Zhelikhovsky, in a comment for UNN, notes that attempts to separate Russia and China can indeed be seen in US policy.

Trump hopes that he will be able to break this close cooperation between Moscow and Beijing. And he expects that closer interaction can be established with Russia to some extent compensate for the opportunities that China currently has.

Russia's resources as a factor in global competition

A separate element of this logic is the economic factor. Russia has significant natural resources - energy resources, metals, rare earth elements, which are important for modern industry.

In this context, some American politicians may view Russia as a potential economic partner that could partially balance China's influence.

Trump also hopes that closer cooperation with Russia will be possible, thereby compensating for the aspects that China currently possesses - for example, resources or rare earth metals. Russia can offer its extracted resources as an alternative.

Despite this, China is not rushing into open confrontation with the West. Beijing is trying to balance between supporting Russia and maintaining economic ties with the US and Europe.

Why this strategy is unlikely to work

Despite historical examples, today's situation differs significantly from the Cold War period. The alliance between Russia and China was formed on the basis of a common confrontation with the West.

In addition, after 2022, Russia is much more dependent on the Chinese economy. China has become Moscow's key trading partner, one of the main buyers of Russian energy resources, and an important channel for circumventing sanctions.

And most importantly, the strategic interests of the US and Russia remain fundamentally opposite. In fact, these states remain geopolitical rivals. Against this background, Washington's attempts to detach Russia from China are unrealistic.

In fact, today Russia is increasingly dependent on Beijing. Due to sanctions, economic isolation, and the war against Ukraine, Moscow is forced to focus on Chinese markets, technologies, and financial capabilities. In this configuration, Russia increasingly looks like a junior partner or even a dependent ally of China.

That is why US attempts to repeat Kissinger's geopolitical combination may look like a struggle with an already changed reality.

In the modern system of international relations, the US and Russia remain strategic competitors, and the Moscow-Beijing alliance is likely to persist - regardless of Washington's diplomatic maneuvers.

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