A new "Asian Axis"?

[mainerjohnthomas]

Combine the recent joint Russian/Chinese military exercises, and the joint declaration by Russia and China condemning heavy handed US interference, especially unilateral intervention in domestic political affairs (IE Chechnya and Tiawan), and you see the start of the formation of a real axis of power in the East.  Russia/China trade is already at an all time high, and includes a staggering array of defence technology.  If Russia and China were able to bury the hatchet (somewhere other than each other's back), they could create a new power block, an "Asian Axis" that would have the power to utterly dominate the Central, South, and East Asia.  The combination of Russian resources and Chinese manpower and capital is an economic combination to match Europe or North America.  To all of those who say that the Russians would never cooperate with the Chinese based on their historical mistrust; the Russians hate and fear only two groups, the hordes of Asia (from the Tartars, Huns, Mongols, or modern Chinese) and the Germans.  In the years between WWI and WWII the Russians armed and trained the fledgling German Army in defiance of the treaty of Versailles, and joined with Germany in dividing up eastern Europe, even splitting Poland between them.  The parallel between the Russian actions with Germany in the interwar years, and their actions with China now is striking. Historians may note that the alliance between Russia and Germany was broken by the German operation Barbarossa, but only after the Germans had been built into a power able to defy the world.  Will the next operation Barbarossa be launched across the Amur river?  And what cost to replay WWII between nuclear powers.

 

[Jascar]

If, if, if, if, if............ : Russia and China have been improving relations since the late 1980's, but not with the intention of forming a new axis of power. Russia's motivations include getting a piece of the booming Chinese economy, the need to exert international influence and keeping things smooth and calm in Siberia. China has been trying to secure its borders and increase its influence in Asia since the 80's by getting the Russians out of its neighbors. There is nothing anti-American about the improved relations between these nations. In fact, just how much Russia is willing to co-operate with China has always been dependant on Russian relations with the USA. Both nations are unhappy with the USA being the world's sole superpower, but they're both more concerned with improving American relations than relations with each other.

The parallel between the Russian actions with Germany in the interwar years, and their actions with China now is striking. Historians may note that the alliance between Russia and Germany was broken by the German operation Barbarossa, but only after the Germans had been built into a power able to defy the world.   Will the next operation Barbarossa be launched across the Amur river?   And what cost to replay WWII between nuclear powers.

??? What striking parallels? The military co-operation between Russia and China is minor and many groups in Russia still see the potential for China to be a threat. They won't be arming China to the teeth anytime soon. The leaders of Russia and China are far more concerned with building economic ties and getting into expanding markets than with carving up Kazhakstan's territory. Drawing parallels between today's situation in Asia and that of 1930's Europe is blowing things way out of proportion and doesn't take into account any of the realities of the modern world, ie. mass annexations of territory probably won't be accepted in today's world.