My Take | How to practise political unrealism like America
- In a harshly worded position paper on the Indo-Pacific, the Biden White House is not just warning China to play ball or else; it’s telling its regional allies it’s ‘my way or the highway’. But this is unrealistic as we are in 2022, not 1991
Washington is upset that China will not condemn Russia. This is despite Beijing’s statement that it is ready to play “a constructive role” and mediate in the war in Ukraine. At the same time, it complains China and Russia won’t support a text at the United Nations that alleges North Korean “violations” of missile technology resolutions despite pressure from the United States and its European allies.
“We would love to have China and Russia join us in this room” to adopt the text, the US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said in a press interview.
Short of putting boots on the ground, the West has practically declared full-spectrum warfare against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Fair enough, I think Vladimir Putin asked for it. But you could hardly expect Moscow to go along with the UN after a General Assembly vote last week denounced it.
I have heard of realism in politics, but this is plain unrealism from Washington. As for China declining to “condemn” Russia, is it so different from Washington’s Asian partner India?
In a joint statement last week, the Quad grouping of countries – the US, India, Australia and Japan – declared that what was happening in Ukraine must not be allowed to happen in the Indo-Pacific. That, of course, refers to China’s alleged intention to invade Taiwan.
The statement, however, is considerably weakened, if not nullified, by India as it has refused to “condemn” Russia. Like China, India abstained from the UN vote last week. Perhaps US Secretary of State Antony Blinken should have spent more time convincing his Indian friends to cast the “right” vote before criticising Beijing.