Source: SCMP Published: 2024-03-13

The second Multipolarity Forum was held in Moscow last month, attended by representatives from 130 countries. During a dinner at the forum, a top Russian official asked the Chinese representative why it was that China was able to rise within the Western rules, but Russia could only achieve its goals by overturning those rules. This question highlights Russia’s grievances about why it cannot integrate into Europe even though its leaders see themselves as part of Europe.

How did China do it? By manipulating the rules? Of course not. Beijing has been playing by the rules. Since joining the World Trade Organization, China has developed quickly.

However, it has advanced not just because it has benefited from the rules of globalisation and other international norms. The Chinese people’s diligence and wisdom, the nation’s vast size, and the advantages of its system of socialism with Chinese characteristics have all played a role.

This provides some insight into how differently Brics countries and the West view the rules. However, there are also differences among the Brics nations of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Exploring those differences is important to understand the rules-based international order, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, and how cooperation happens within multilateral groups like Brics and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Specifically, there are major differences between China and Russia with regard to their views of international rules.

First, China seeks harmony and common good, while Russia pursues differences, a view rooted in Eurasianism. Russia has tried to integrate into Europe but has failed to be accepted. As a representative of Eastern civilisation, China is obviously different from Europe. China’s history is replete with exchanges of knowledge between civilisations, which point to how it has focused on pursuing harmony.

Second, China is a “tai chi” culture, where the emphasis is on pushing an opponent without using force. Russia, however, is a “bear” culture. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 2024 re-election campaign adverts, for example, feature footage of bears overlaid with Putin’s speeches about “not giving up the taiga”, an indication that Russia will safeguard its home and not back down when fighting enemies.