Russia the wild card in Asia Pacific

Comments on John Lee “Watch out for Russian wild card in Asia-Pacific”, 29/12/2010, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/watch-out-for-russian-wild-card-in-asia-pacific/story-e6frg6zo-1225977417402

Russia will be a considerable power to be reckoned in Asia.

However, there is no guarantee that it will be closer to the US and its allies than to China.

For the foreseeable future, it is much more likely that it will be closer to China, given its interest in preserving its world power status and that the US is unlikely to be happy to see a stronger Russia with powerful nuclear arsenals.

China, on their hand, will realise that it is in its interest to see a multi-polar world where the US will no longer dominate the world at will. It will recognise the value of Russia to its world strategy.

The argument that China views the future of the world as bipolar is wrong and China has strongly resisted that view pushed by some. That is a trap for China and China understands that.

In the next 20 to 50 years, the world cannot be anything but a multi polar world, where cooperation will outweigh competition.

That is the best outcome for everyone.