From the birth of the People's Republic of China in 1949 to the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991, Sino-Soviet relations have gone through a trifecta: the early days of close friendship were like a honeymoon period, and then they entered a stage of tension and deterioration due to various contradictions.
China has always cherished its friendship with Russia and its neighboring countries, and is committed to maintaining peaceful and friendly relations with its neighbors.
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 left a profound lesson in history, one of which was crucial to maintaining harmony with China's powerful neighbor. Since China's rise in 1949, the Soviet Union has shown an open stance and has been the first partner to recognize the new China.
At that time, the Soviet Union was not only able to compete with the United States in the global hegemony, but was fearless in the face of any threat, and its style was extraordinary. After the establishment of diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, the Soviet Union supported and assisted China in all directions, and the period of friendship between the two countries was exemplary.
In fact, before the birth of the People's Republic of China, the CPSU and China had established deep economic ties, and the relationship between the two went back to ancient times.
On April 28, 1946, with the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Harbin, the CCP took over and established local autonomy here.
Inspired by the Soviet Union, we began to promote socio-economic activities in an orderly manner. In the face of the new starting point of the Northeast, the only way is to start economic and trade cooperation with the Soviet Union.
On December 21, a historic moment came, the Soviet Foreign Trade Representative Sladkovsky negotiated with the Northeast Administrative Council for the first time, the commercial shipping route between the two countries was opened, cargo ships were ready, and the relationship became increasingly close.
After the birth of the People's Republic of China, the Soviet Union showed deep friendship and gave full support to our industrialization process. They have selflessly implemented assistance covering 156 key projects, which are like the cornerstones of construction, quickly promoting the take-off of our country's industrial economy and laying a solid industrial foundation for the country.
Not only did the Soviet Union lend $300 million generously, on an impressive scale, but it also sent technical experts to guide and teach the secrets of industrial technology in practical actions. Knowing that it is not easy for a weak country to be in the international arena, the Soviet Union, as a socialist partner, provided advanced equipment free of charge or preferential at the moment when we urgently needed development, helping us to rapidly improve our heavy industry strength and national defense capability.
With the help of the Soviet Union, we have made remarkable progress in the field of military industry.
When Sino-Soviet relations broke down in 1960, the Chinese were attached to Soviet technologists who did not want to leave, not only because they brought advanced technology, but also because of the bonds of friendship.
However, what is embarrassing is that in the end, it was the decline of the Soviet Union's strength that ultimately determined the direction of relations between the two countries. This history reveals that even though China once relied on the protection of the Soviet Union and enjoyed peace and stability, the changing international landscape made it impossible for its former allies to weather the difficulties.
Against the backdrop of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union competed for hegemony, the Soviet Union's arms race put its own economy in a difficult situation, and Khrushchev's New Economic Policy attempt failed to turn things around.
This past reminds us that even socialist brothers with similar ideas cannot escape the impact of the torrent of the times.
In February 1991, the Soviet economy was in deep trouble, with GDP plummeting by 20%, inflation soaring to 300%, and the situation of domestic and foreign difficulties becoming increasingly severe.
The Western world, especially the United States, saw the Soviet Union as a challenge and had a long-standing attempt to dismember. Instigated by reactionary forces, nationalist currents of thought arose, and calls for independence arose one after another, trying to disintegrate the Soviet Union.
Under the influence of the right-wing and democratic separatism, the masses have shaken their traditional ideas. The stubborn problems of Soviet dogma and planned economy, as well as the mistakes of foreign policy, such as great-power chauvinism and hegemonic mentality, eventually led to the historical turning point in 1991 - the collapse of the Soviet Union.
When the Soviet Union was in a difficult situation, what position did China show? Let's dive in**. In 1989, Gorbachev visited China, which was a good opportunity to restore normal Sino-Soviet relations.
However, China did not blindly rebuild the old goodwill, but put forward three clear conditions: first, to reduce the size of the Soviet army on the border back to before 1964; the second is the withdrawal of troops from Mongolia; The third is to prompt Vietnam to withdraw from Cambodia.
These three demands may seem concise, but in fact they imply a firm defense of China's territorial integrity. Against the historical backdrop of Sino-Soviet tensions, China's conditions essentially sent a clear signal to the Soviet Union not to invade its territory.
Gorbachev showed a high willingness to cooperate, and he actively fulfilled his promises. In January 1987, Soviet troops withdrew from Mongolia in an orderly manner; On the Afghan issue in 1989, the Soviet Union compromised and backed down; More importantly, on the issue of border negotiations, Gorbachev abandoned his tough stance on the ownership of the Heilongjiang and Ussuri islands.
When Gorbachev visited China in 1989, China was aware of his goodwill, but establishing relations of equality and reciprocity was not an easy task and required careful consideration. Despite the initial approval of China's assessment by the Soviet Union, the imbalance in the status of the two countries has remained an open question.
Despite China's rapid economic and military rise, there is still a significant gap between China and the Soviet Union, an old industrial power, and even if the Soviet Union appears to be in decline, its roots remain. China knew it would not be able to match it in a short period of time, but the influence of the Soviet Union was crucial to resisting aggressive forces such as the United States, and China's development also needed the support of the Soviet Union as a barrier.
Therefore, in the context of jointly promoting industrialization, the two sides tried their best to balance their interests and signed the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance. However, some of these provisions, such as restrictions on third-party access to Northeast China and Xinjiang, as well as restrictions on the sale of mineral sands in China, appear to be unfair.
In the face of the situation at that time, although China was forced to accept it, the road of development will not stop, and China's international status will eventually be enhanced, and it will no longer be at a disadvantage forever.
In 1953, the feat of the Chinese Volunteers in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea not only demonstrated the tenacity of the Chinese people, but also made the Soviet Union feel unprecedented pressure.
As China's industrialization accelerated, the seeds of a desire for independence sprouted. However, Khrushchev's insistence brought Sino-Soviet relations into tension. Although Gorbachev's visit to China tried to ease the situation, the contradictions left over from history could not be resolved overnight.
The isolation and hostility of the Soviet Union in the global struggle for hegemony, and their rhetoric"The theory of the alliance of one country", all reveal the huge gap between ideals and reality.
Stalin's defeats, such as the revolutions in the Baltic states and Finland, made the Soviet Union no longer glorious. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, former allies sought new directions, and countries were wary of Russia's new regime, doubting that it would be able to regain its superpower glory.
After all, the nascent Russia was weak in terms of resources and influence, and Yeltsin's leadership added uncertainty and put the international community under observation.
Yeltsin's leadership style relied too heavily on Western"Shock**", full of hope for revival, but ignoring the manipulative intentions behind it. His naïve strategy became the catalyst for Russia's collapse.
The political compromise of 1996, which attempted to maintain domestic stability as a stopgap measure, accidentally ignited the fuse of Russia's decline. The beautiful vision of the original intention of reform has become a fatal blow that the country cannot bear.
As early as 1992, China and Russia tried to join hands to seek to restart the chapter of friendly exchanges. In December of that year, Boris Yeltsin of Russia visited China and signed the "Joint Statement on the Basis of Mutual Relations between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation," symbolizing that the two countries had officially entered a new stage of friendly cooperation.
Although Yeltsin's trip to China lasted only two days, a whole year of painstaking work was behind the preparation of this statement. At the moment when the treaty was signed, the people of the two countries were full of expectations, thinking that this would start a good story of sustainable development.
However, this is not the case. Yeltsin's true intentions did not stop at the surface, and he had a hidden desire to integrate into the West and join NATO. He naively imagined that through close ties with the West, Russia would gain powerful allies to build from Lisbon to Vladivostok"Greater Europe"Vision.
But this treaty seems to be only one of Yeltsin's tactics to achieve his larger goals.
Yeltsin's innocence was as innocent as a child, but he ignored the reality of great power relations and was ruthless. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia was devastated, and its economy, military strength, and people's livelihood were inferior to those of the United States.
His radical reforms have plunged Russia into a quagmire of development. Although Yeltsin longed for the favor of the West, the West did not really accept him, but only superficially courtesy, and did not regard him as an insider.
However, Yeltsin misunderstood this subtlety and blindly pursued closeness to the West, trying to co-opt China at the same time to stabilize the Far East, which he considered a smart move. As everyone knows, such attempts have been understood and remembered by both China and the West.
In April 1996, Yeltsin recognized the reality that he could not win the full support of the West, so he turned to China for cooperation. At a time when China is facing diplomatic pressure with the United States, the two sides signed the "Sino-Russian Joint Statement" and opened it"Equal trust, strategic partnership for the 21st century"to counter the influence of the United States.
Knowing that Yeltsin had been Russia's leader, he lacked the strength to lead the country out of its economic woes, and wisely left the challenge to his successor, Putin.
Putin, unlike him, rejected the Western ones"Shock**"to take action instead. Through victory in the war in Chechnya and the fight against the oligarchs, Putin has won the trust of the people.
However, when the 2003 Iraq war brought oil prices, Putin seized on the economic lifeline, and the Russian economy prospered. Against this backdrop, he decisively pushed forward with territorial reconquest (e.g., South Ossetia and Crimea) and intervention in international affairs (e.g., Syria and the adjustment of relations with China and Japan).
Putin's era was accompanied by an economic rise and the implementation of a tough foreign policy.
Despite Putin's all-out efforts and tough diplomatic posture, Russia is deep"Oligarchic system"Still standing still. In Putin"Might"Driven by thinking, bilateral relations between China and Russia have drifted apart.
Putin's desire to reinvigorate his position in Eastern Europe and regain the Caucasus, Central Asia and Mongolia is now only a flash in the pan. The reality is that Russia's current military strength is not strong enough to compete with other countries.
What is even more worrying is that the Russian economy is no longer able to reproduce the glory of the Soviet era.
Despite Russia's repeated misunderstandings about China, China has always responded with tolerance. Despite Russia's stubbornness and reluctance to admit that China needed help from its declining power, China's rising star remembered the Soviet Union's generosity in the past.
Today, Russia is busy competing with India, which is more inclined to an alliance with the West, alienating Russia. Neighboring Vietnam, Ukraine, and Belarus also seem to be shunning it.
Of all the options, China is the only one that stands firm in its support for Russia. The disputes between the great powers are complex, but the value of emotions transcends all else. China has not forgotten the assistance of the Soviet Union, and this kind of tolerance and affection is admirable.
I firmly believe that such a great power will rise rapidly and dominate the world. Time will reveal everything about Sino-Russian relations, and in the end Russia will understand that China is its most sincere partner!