My Take | Why Russia chooses war and China prefers peace
- Despite superficial similarities, the fundamental difference between the Russian conception of Russkiy Mir and the Chinese notion of Tianxia is that between conflict and harmony; dominance and benevolence
This is the first of a two-part series.
For two countries that have drawn ever closer together, it’s quite remarkable how different China and Russia see themselves and the world at large. Learning how nations understand themselves and justify their actions is essential to passing judgments on them. Given the tragedy that is unfolding in Ukraine, it’s worth considering how Russia and China differ or even compete in their world views. They should be considered and examined before making unwarranted comparisons and issuing irresponsible warnings, such as claiming an imminent Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
There are, of course, many ways to approach such a huge topic, depending on the depths of your knowledge or ignorance. I propose considering two fundamental self-conceptions, respectively of China and Russia, that show some superficial similarities but are at heart opposites: Russkiy Mir and Tianxia. We can see that one has led to repeated wars and military conflicts; the other has not.
During the 1990s and the 2000s, the intelligentsia in both countries began to develop the respective concepts. Both ideas draw on historical and cultural resources of their premodern antecedents to explain, justify and legitimise their current national projects and ambitions.
Russkiy Mir
A well-crafted Russian Matryoshka doll can contain many smaller iterations of themselves. Likewise, Russkiy Mir, as a general idea, contains conceptual layers, with a grand vision, a strategic and diplomatic doctrine to direct it, and a military doctrine to implement it.