Pandemic coronavirus has not only in health, not only in Economics but also in relations between the two countries. Suffice it to recall accusations of Western politicians to the Chinese, who blamed the spread of dangerous diseases around the world. But is it all rosy in the relations between Moscow and Beijing? This question answered by the experts of the Valdai club of Russia and China.
Wednesday, may 7, at the site of the club “Valdai” was organized online conference on the economic consequences of coronavirus in the light of the ambitious Chinese initiative “Belt and road”.
Experts from Russia and China shared his vision of prospects of further development of regional infrastructure linkages, considerations about how the new global situation will have an impact not only on the “Belt and road”, but also in the Eurasian space.
We asked the participants two questions.
1) How big a negative effect the closure of the borders between China and Russia?
2) do at this unfavorable background, to avoid some mistrust between the two countries?
Alexander LOMANOV, the expert club “Valdai” the head of the Center for Asia-Pacific studies IMEMO is the name of Yevgeny Primakov ran:
1) For commodities, the border is open and close it no one is going. Moreover, on the backdrop of a difficult epidemic situation, the bilateral trade volume even increased. According to China customs, from January to March of this year the trade turnover between Russia and China increased by 3.4% and exceeded 25 billion dollars. The difficult epidemiological situation in Europe created an increased demand for Chinese medical products. There is a need to transport them by rail. A substantial part of the trade flow goes through the Russian-Chinese border.
But with the movement of people the situation is difficult. A necessary precondition for the resumption of human contacts is the leveling of the epidemic safety on both sides of the border. 6 may China recorded only two new cases of coronavirus, both imported.
More recently, the public is hotly argued about flooded the Russian shops, museums and train Chinese tourists. Someone they have irritated someone happy. Last year, the groups came to us with over 1.3 million Chinese. Many of them are elderly people, who were interesting to look at the former Soviet Union, where they learned so much at school age. Out of concern for their health, they will not go where there is a threat of catching the dangerous virus.
2) At the level of government distrust and never will be. At the level of public opinion it has already occurred. In the Chinese blogosphere, there is a strong Nazianaliticheskoe for, customized to Russia skeptical and unfriendly. It enthusiastically supported the Pro-Western part of the Chinese intellectual elite. Two strikes followed one after the other.
In February, the Chinese social media resented the “persecution” of the Chinese, who in Russia ordered to comply with the quarantine and punished for its violation. In early April, the sensation was the delivery of coronavirus returning from Russia Chinese.
After the closure of air traffic land border remained open, thousands of Chinese citizens rushed from Moscow through Vladivostok and then home by road. Among them it was revealed hundreds of carriers. The Chinese authorities had to repeat in the small border city of Suifenhe “Wuhan variant”, including the total one month quarantine for all residents and construction of a temporary hospitals. The Internet has raised a wave of arguments about the “unreliability” of its Northern neighbor.
Such outbursts will occur in China in the future when any issues affecting the interests of the Chinese citizens. This situation should be seen as a relevant reminder that both sides will need to work tirelessly to strengthen mutual trust and the dissemination of objective information about each other.
Feng Shaolei, expert of the Valdai club, Dean and Professor, School of international and area studies at East China normal University; Director, Center for Russian studies at East China normal University (Shanghai)
1) According to just-published official statistics, in the first quarter since the beginning of the epidemic, the movement of people between China and Russia was limited, and a bilateral scientific and technological exchanges, tourism, etc. were affected more negatively. In General, however, bilateral trade between China and Russia was much better than in other pairs of bilateral trade, an increase of 3.4 percent. The exports to Russia decreased by 14.6 per cent, while imports from Russia increased by 17.3 percent. According to statistics, in January-February Russia has risen on one place among the trade partners of China, becoming the ninth largest trading partner of China.
2) There is a very interesting joint Chinese-Russian film “How I became Russian”. But such works are too few. In my opinion, there are disproportionate areas requiring significant improvement. First, the scale and level of cultural exchanges between China and Russia, two of the world’s great civilizations, is not proportionate. Second, they do not meet the development of the two countries and changes in the world. And third, they lag far behind the needs of the youth of both countries. So all this requires comprehensive planning and implementation on the part of both scientists and the official sector.
qu Wenyi, expert of the Valdai club, Professor at the Centre for Russian studies at East China normal University (Shanghai)
1) Closing, of course, restricts the movement of people and goods. But the question closed with the epidemic boundaries, we should consider comprehensively.
first, to control the spread of the epidemic, countries around the world as a whole has adopted the practice of closing its borders in the face of sudden outbreaks and the lack of understanding and response. Despite some negative consequences for the economy and society, it plays a positive role in ensuring the life and health of people in emergency situations. It is generally clear.
second, over time, people’s awareness about the epidemic will gradually deepen, gradually will be implemented prevention and control measures and resources, especially given the fact that the epidemic is gradually coming under control, allowing you to make timely adjustments in policy.
for Example, in China, which initially took an unusually strong preventive and control measures, now the vast majority of economic and social life restored. The same applies to exchanges between China and Russia, where restrictions will be gradually removed as the weakening of the epidemic, and our knowledge and professional opportunities for the prevention and control will gradually increase.
third, Russia and China have friendly relations and are partners in the comprehensive strategic cooperation, which is supported by strong fundamentals, including the credibility from the point of view of security of the two neighboring powers, mutually beneficial and mutually beneficial economic relationship, a mutual feeling of goodwill and desire for exchanges among peoples. The essence of the concept of “one belt, One road”, is to promote mutually beneficial and mutually beneficial international cooperation, which will not change due to short-lived epidemics.
So as long as we maintain mutual trust and strengthen the relationship, short-term closure will not have a serious negative impact on the initiative “One belt, one road” and Russian-Chinese relations.
2) Cooperation between the two sides during a pandemic of a novel coronavirus has been generally positive and effective. In the early stages of the outbreak in China, President Putin and the Russian government expressed its solidarity with the Chinese government and people have provided us with much-needed medical supplies.
When the epidemic was localized initially in China and spread to ROS��AI, China has also provided medical supplies and sent medical personnel to Russia. There were many facts and warm communication between people, including the letter of sympathy which I received from a Russian friend in the early stages of the epidemic. When problems arise in the course of prevention and fight against epidemics, both governments are in the position to communicate.
the Chinese Government also played a positive role in promoting an objective understanding of Russian antiasteniceski measures among the General public through the media, informing the local community about the Russian preventive measures and legal protection for Chinese citizens.
of Course, we can do more. Unprecedented epidemic really presents a problem for the whole world, and for both countries it is normal to have some problems during prevent and control the epidemic.
In addition to maintaining timely communication at government level, efforts should be made to search for pragmatic solutions, focusing on specific problems.
for Example how best to organize the defense and operation of transport and housing in conditions that ensure minimal risk of infection. And how to combine, to the extent possible, specialists and administrative and public organizations from both sides to decision-making and the search for scientific and efficient response and decisions.
Among scientists there should also be a regular exchange and communication to promote understanding and support.
I am convinced that Russian-Chinese relations can be to move into a new era of comprehensive strategic partnership and cooperation based on resistance and resistance that will not change because of the epidemic.
We must learn to solve pragmatic problems, which causes this epidemic, and make cooperation in the area of health one of the regular mechanisms of cooperation in bilateral relations, so that relations between the two countries was stable and prosperous.
