Putin Arrives To Do Business With China, Netizen Reactions

by Python on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 43 comments

The Russian Federation’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is currently visiting Beijing and signing contracts with Chinese companies. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov told Reuters last Friday that the two countries will make deals worth $5.5 billion in thirty-eight areas, including the financial industry, telecommunications, mineral extraction, natural gas, nuclear energy, oil refinement, electric power, transportation and infrastructure. Some highlights of the deals are:

“Sistema will sign a $200 million funding deal with the Bank of China and telecoms equipment maker ZTE Corp.” (Reuters)
“China National Materials (Sinoma) and investment holding company CNBM will sign four cement production facilities construction deals with Russian cement maker Eurocement.” (Reuters)
Establishing a mechanism between the two countries on mutual acknowledgment of Ballistic Missile launching.
A joint petroleum refinery plant in Tianjing which has 15-million-tons-per-year production capability. A petroleum pipeline between the two country had already been finished in May this year.
It also includes a memorandum of China helping Russia building its high speed railway systems. The railway between Vladivostock and Khabarovsk will probably use Chinese technologies. Experts say China’s technical advantages in High Speed Trail over Japan and France are 1) China provides a comprehensive engineering solution from infrastructure construction (工务工程?), railway communication system, power grid laying to train construction while no other country can provide. 2) China’s railway engineers have better technological experiences on upgrading old railway systems 3) Chinese construction companies are able to build systems on a tight budget, usually about 20% lower than some other countries. The railway between the two cities will cost from billions to tens of billions USD.

Prime Minister Putin will also attend the Eighth Ministers’ Meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

English media coverage can be found on Google News. Sina.com also has a good coverage of the event in Chinese and following are selected comments out of about 1000:

“I love my family” from Zibo, Shandong:

[Putin is an] old friend. Hope the two countries will have more cooperation, mutual support and co-development.

华哥 from Chengqing:

We should keep a friendly relation with Russia for generations. I kind of like Russian people’s character. Wish the two countries can be good neighbors.

Anonymous mobile user:

Cooperation with Russia makes China’s backyard safe and will give China more room to claim its interests in the Middle East. That’s quite different from our trade with the United States.

Anonymous mobile user:

Hope the contracts will be truly realized, political mutual trust enhanced, cooperation promoted in areas like foreign affairs, military cooperation, economics, labours, energy, culture, technology and anti-terrorism. The final goal should be a win-win and revival of both. China and Russia jia you!

Anonymous mobile:

I want to ask Prime Minister Putin when you guys will sell Tupolev Tu-160 heavy bombers to us.

Mobile user from Sichuan:

In China, there are much more American things than Russian. [The commenter means America still influences China more than Russia does]

Mobile user from Shandong:

There’s no eternal friends but forever interests.

Nano 10 from Handan, Hebei:

It’s quite reasonable that Russia doesn’t want to sell China its top weapons since the two share a border. However, we can’t deny that China couldn’t achieve today’s modernization in military technologies without Russia’s help.

Anonymous mobile user:

I’m very interested in Russian songs. Hope my generation can be familiar with Russian music as much as the 50s generation were.

Mobile user from Shandong:

Pupu [Putin's Chinese nickname given by a female?] is so smoking hot.

Mobile user from Guangdong:

Investing in Russia is better than buying trashy American debt.

Anonymous mobile user:

Another money borrower is coming to China? Did he forget how Russia treated Chinese businessmen earlier this year?

Woexin from Beijing:

Nice. In the 50s, Big Brother taught us how to make the A-bomb and today we teach Big Brother how to make high speed railways. [Many people in the older generations still have a favorable memory of the Soviet Union's help with China's rapid industrialization in the 50s, despite ugly things that happened in the 60s and 70s between the two countries. Many can still be moved to tears when they listen to a Soviet song. In many Chinese people's opinion, gratitude is always gratitude and this applies to any country that helped China before.]

Lumanman from Jiangsu:

[Sorry. My translation to this one is quite poor since there are a lot Chinese idioms in it.] Sun tzu said: “He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven-born captain.” Any tactics must be based on real situation. Well said. The two Superpowers’ ruling the world was already a part of history. On the surface, America is the only remaining superpower and everyone has to painfully submit to it, but actually its glory will reach its end soon since it has already established so many enemies in the world. American strategists know it better than anyone else. So they are making a common target to shield themselves and that scapegoat is China. Advocating G2 is one such trick.

So based on today’s situation, what strategy should our China take? In the chaotic time of Warring States Period (476 BCE to 221 BCE), two of the most remarkable strategists were created, “Hezong Hezong” [making alliance with weak ones when you are weak] and “Yuanjiao Jingong” [making alliance as many as possible with whom doesn't have conflicts of interest with you]. Look at today’s China. Is it weak or is it strong? Though our total economic volume is among top three but our GDP per capita is one of the poorest, let alone our natural resources are extremely limited. Knowing where we are in the rank, we then can choose the best strategy and that strategy is “Hezong”. We must make as many friends as possible in the world. Cooperating with Russia is the smartest choice. This strategy should not be altered as long as America still acts like a bully superpower.

My comment moderation rules:

I hate to see the comment area of my post degenerates quickly into a trash can so I will delete following types of comments under my posts from now on:

all “sofa” comments without content
personal insult comments
troll
all comments under type 1-3 will probably be deleted too so don’t feed troll, use your thumb down

And I will not accept any complaint on my moderation rules. However, insightful and informational suggestions are always welcome.

Thanks for your cooperation,
Python

43 Comments

Some HTML can be used to format your comment.
Add a picture to your comments with Gravatar.
Our Comment Policy.

Alikese

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 2:37 am

“In many Chinese people’s opinion, gratitude is always gratitude and this applies to any country that helped China before.”

What was that country that caused the end of WWII in the Pacific? Armenia? United Arab Emirates? Something like that.

Reply
- Wang Er
  
  Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 3:44 am
  
  American who scarified for China in 40s have never been forgotten. You have to read Chinese news to know it:
  
  http://travel.changsha.cn/lyzx/200908/t20090805_987627.htm
  
  “Members and relatives of Flying Tiger volunteer group are invited to come to China next year to attend the 65th anniversary commemorative activities for their help to Chinese people in WWII.”
  
  More about the Flying Tiger:
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Tigers
  
  Reply
  - Shoeshine
    
    Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 7:25 am
    
    There’s truth to that. When I was in Kunming, almost everybody knew of the flying tigers and almost everybody had a favorable impression of Americans, especially the older folks. That’s not as true in other parts of China, but in Yunnan that’s the case.
    
    Reply
- whichone
  
  Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 3:52 am
  
  I’m guessing it’s the country that is the peerless leader in military, wealth, culture, and freedom around world. Unfortunately also the country that has ever used nuclear bombs, against civilians no less, tanked the global economy, arrogant and hypocritical on the world stage, and most recently liberated the shit out of Iraq.
  
  No doubt the most powerful country on Earth, it gifted us with many ideals and ideas but let’s not pretend it always deserves gratitude from everyone
  
  Reply
- FYIADragoon
  
  Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 2:24 pm
  
  Its split up unfortunately, head down south (Yunnan, CHONGQING, Nanjing, etc.) and the people really hold the same deal of respect that this article describes for Russians, for Americans. Its just the stupid kiddies up North and more Eastward that are ungrateful little sh*ts. China’s so large its always hard to get a real exact reading from the country.
  
  Reply
Pretendiname

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 3:34 am

I find it funny that you get the feeling American people are poo-pooing this relationship. If only western countries could foster anything like proper respect from either Russia or China.

America may have lost many young men fighting in South East Asia, and yes, the note perhaps was an over generalisation, so let’s put that to one side. What did America do for China in the intervening 65 years?

I am no historian, but here is my stab at a summary. Painted them as a huge political enemy.
Defended themselves to the hilt against the enemy.
Grew up a bit.
A symbiosis grew where America could improve the life of peasant workers by giving them work via factories. (Ignoring any other ways of looking at that relationship).
Became massively consumerist, and bought all the coolest fun things and their update.
Went bust.

I don’t think ‘gratitude IS always gratitude’. But I don’t think it is America’s right to be loved by the rest of the world. It is this single attitude America has to address, then all their own problems.

Reply
- Anon
  
  Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 4:01 am
  
  Japan also done nothing much against china after the war for 65 years, so….?
  
  Communist soviet union wasnt always friendly to china.
  
  Maybe both russia and china have a common ‘enemy’ therefore they would appear friendly to each other.
  
  Remove the ‘enemy’ and will they still be so friendly with their huge common borders?
  
  Don’t be so naive to believe in proper repect existing in the political world.
  
  By the way y arent the chinese more worried about a more advance military huge nation to the north which may control alot of your future oil/energy supply and a missle trigger happen one in the north-east? Both of them are just NEXT door!!
  
  Reply
  - Wang Er
    
    Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 4:56 am
    
    C’mon. That mindset is so Cold War:
    
    1) One day you see your neighbor has a big dick (WMD)
    2) You think your neighbor will definitely use his big one to fuck you tomorrow
    3a) Being very worried, you buy some medicine to enlarge your dick to make sure its much bigger than all your neighbors’ combined
    or 3b) In that night, you sneak into your neighbor’s house and cut off his penis.
    4) You go to your neighbor’s door step and show off your bigger dick next morning
    5) Your neighbor is pissed off and enlarged his penis too
    6) You go back to step 2).
    
    This mindset is the exact reason why America has so many enemies in the world. Make love with your neighbors, no dick race.
    
    Reply
    - Anon
      
      Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 10:17 am
      
      Cold war? Well your dick analogy just describe excatly the arm races going on in the world now. Y dont the chinese trying to come up with their sleath planes?
      
      With China building up her military, there may be another 1 coming soon. The cold war ended not because every1 become love buddies, more like coz 1 of the player collapsed.
      
      Well, if u cant even make love to your own people, riots in tibet or xinjiang.
      
      Lastly, yes alot of pple do not like the U.S, but it doesnt mean alot of pple like China.
      
      Reply
    - gth793y
      
      Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 10:21 am
      
      What you are describing is a security dilemma, the most common type of game theory in international relations.
      
      in fact you will realize, most people with “big dicks” are enemies with each other, America is no exactly enemy with France, UK, Israel, while they are not exactly in the best of alliance with Russia and China, they are not enemies.
      
      America’s enemies are those who are trying get “big dicks” and thats just an excuse for Neo-con’s to advance their ideological agenda.
      
      Reply
      - Wang Er
        
        Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 10:45 am
        
        Insightful to me. +1
- Anon
  
  Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 4:06 am
  
  Sorry but then again,
  
  “A symbiosis grew where America could improve the life of peasant workers by giving them work via factories. (Ignoring any other ways of looking at that relationship).
  Became massively consumerist, and bought all the coolest fun things and their update.
  Went bust.”
  
  Aint this wat happening in china now. O.O so china going to bust?
  
  Reply
- Anthony Neville
  
  Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 2:41 pm
  
  Pretendiname says: “America may have lost many young men fighting in South East Asia, and yes, the note perhaps was an over generalisation, so let’s put that to one side. What did America do for China in the intervening 65 years?”
  
  In 1949 Mao turned China into his own personal Communist slave-pen. Just what should the U.S. have done in the intervening years? Shown solidarity with the CCP for sending millions of millions of Chinese to an early grave? “Aww, loving your famines, widespread intimidation, cruety, and oppression chaps. Yeah, the American poeple have developed a real taste for how you Communists operate.”
  
  Reply
  - lostinsz
    
    Friday, October 16, 2009 at 3:12 pm
    
    No, Anthony the Chairman turned China into his own seralgio. Proof:the Yan Xishang Blog. Believe it or not, Mao offered Kissinger a couple of million Chinese women during the negotiations prior to Nixons visit in 72. That fact was not mentioned in Kissinger’s bio, but Big Henry made mention of this a few months ago. I don’t joke.
    
    Reply
    - Anthony Neville
      
      Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 4:19 am
      
      Yes, but Mao was. I happen to be reading “Mao: The Unkown Story”. This, from page 715:-
      —
      Mao added a personal touch to soften up Kissinger, by alluding to Kissinger’s success with women. `There were some rumors that said that you were about to collapse. (laughter)’, the meeting record runs. `And women folk seated here were very dissatisfied with that. (laughter, especially pronounced among the women). They said if the Doctor [Kissinger] is going to collapse, we would be out of work.’ `Do you want our Chinese women? We can give you ten million. (laughter, particularly among the women.’
      —
      
      Ahhh, a tyrant’s wit… a wit that runs neck-to-neck with boiled cabbage.
      
      Reply
      - Pretendiname
        
        Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 5:18 am
        
        Hello Anthony Neville,
        
        I was quite aware I was generalising. I accepted I am not as well briefed with the history as you clearly are, and I fully admire you for that. And I was trying just prattling on about my main point, and maybe I didn’t make it well enough.
        
        Mao may have actually set the tone for some Chinese feelings, but I was really thinking about how a non-American article evoked a couple of comments which seemed a bit… revealing. So I commented.
        
        I am not sure how I would rewrite history any better with China/American relations from 1949 onward… but as you say:
        famines, widespread intimidation, cruelty, and oppression
        
        And who was helping at the time? It certainly wasn’t America. Ideology is a powerful thing regardless of where you stand on an issue.
        Like I say, I couldn’t solve histories problems. And by all accounts the Cold War has its merits over the current Anglo/American technique of invading and dictating democracy…
gth793y

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 4:42 am

Why are we being bi-lateral about this subject, most nations have done things to others countries that either benefited or harmed them, or both, most likely. There are allot of reasons for a countries’ foreign policy, like ideology, economic position, and others.

Its pretty silly to stamp a nation as a friend or a foe in such a simple manner, there are many theories regarding the functions of international relation, especially in this post bi-polar post cold war environment, and none of them fits the workings perfectly. Usually its a combination of many, sometimes even thats not enough.

This is international affairs, a place where complex factors are at work. So lets not see this as the making of a middle school clique: either you’re in or you’re out.

Reply
罗宏

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 5:03 am

Didn’t Russia sink a Chinese ship last year? Hasn’t Russia taken more of the territory of the old Qing empire than any other foreign power except Japan ever did? Isn’t Russia more xenophobic towards Chinese migrants than the US?

I just don’t get why so many netizens insist on seeing Russia as their buddy and the US as their eternal foe.

Reply
- 12meeeeeee
  
  Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 5:38 am
  
  cuz, in the heart of the chinese spirit of copying everything, china copied their present day political system from the udssr in the age of revolution.
  
  communism for the poor and capitalism for the rich.
  the whole tiananmen massacre just happend cuz that russian dude came visit and the chinese wanted to demostrate they also can kill their people as effective as stalin.
  
  also stalin and mao were bowling friends
  
  Reply
  - lostinsz
    
    Friday, October 16, 2009 at 4:12 pm
    
    Do you mean bowling as in what they do in small American cities on Saturday night. I told you about mixing moutai and vodka….a recipe for disaster.
    
    Yes, da Chairman did visit Moscow but Stalin tucked him away in a dacha and keep him hanging on for a few weeks. Mao wanted some serious loan so he could expand bok choy production or something equally important. He had a terrible time waiting for the midnight summons. Hated the food, wasnt offered any under aged Natashas and, most importantly, couldnt sleep in a Russian bed because they were too soft. Consequently, spent the whole time sleeping on the floor. Dicators don’t bowl, okay.
    
    Reply
- Wang Er
  
  Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 5:44 am
  
  Where did you get the last sentence? Do you do business and loan money to your “eternal foe”?
  
  Reply
  - 罗宏
    
    Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 9:44 am
    
    Wang Er:
    
    I know that, in reality, relations between China and the US are quite good. In netizen land, however, many people see the US as a foe and Russia as their good buddy. You can see this in the tone of some of the comments above. Investment in America is “trash”, and investment in Russia is “better”.
    Why?
    I suspect the commenter couldn’t really give you a sound economic argument to support the idea that its better for China to invest in Russia than the US.
    
    Reply
    - Wang Er
      
      Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 10:16 am
      
      I counted. There are 3 out of 14 comments that mentioned America. One is negative and another one positive. Saying “trashy America debt” is far away from “seeing the US as a foe”. Every country has its trashy products and someone’s disliking certain American thing doesn’t equal to his hatred to America. You know what I mean?
      
      The original post is about Sino-Russia relation and I find it amazing that comments here turned into a Sino-American relation debate. Favoring Russia doesn’t mean establishing hostility against US. I know there are someone feeling jealous and panic when seeing the two countries getting closer, but as the last translated comment said, China is seeking every possible friend in this world rather than forming an alliance against any country.
      
      Reply
The Lover

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 6:33 am

China is just trying to grow its economy to feed its billion and so people. This pact is not about military or political strategy. China have signed many pacts. China just surpass Japan in trade with the U.S.

Yes, China will always need to worry about Russia being a neighbor. They also need to worry about nuclear armed India which China has been in armed conflict before. And they also need to worry about the Japanese who are becoming more nationalistic and wants more “independence” from the U.S. A “free” Japan will be trouble for China and the Koreas. I have also heard that the Australians are beginning their own arm race to counter China.

But more importantly, China should be more worry about China itself. A lot of poor Chinese are very unhappy with the economic growth. They might just cause a social revolution to share the wealth. Let’s hope that don’t do what the Cambodians did and killed all their intellectuals.

Again, this pact is to continue the growth of the Chinese economy only.

Reply
- couldberabbit
  
  Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 11:05 am
  
  Hahahah! “Let’s hope they don’t do what the Cambodians did and killed all their intellectuals.”
  
  You mean let’s hope the Chinese peasants don’t do what the Chinese students did in the Cultural Revolution kill all their intellectuals and any others they where jealous or envious of (Cambodians picked that up from China).
  
  Reply
Canton Pop

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 11:31 am

Experts say China’s technical advantages in High Speed Trail over Japan and France are 1) China provides a comprehensive engineering solution from infrastructure construction (工务工程?), railway communication system, power grid laying to train construction while no other country can provide. 2) China’s railway engineers have better technological experiences on upgrading old railway systems 3) Chinese construction companies are able to build systems on a tight budget, usually about 20% lower than some other countries.

I swear I’ve read this word-for-word at least 3 times before. This must be some set piece of copy that they drop into any news article which mentions high speed trains.

Reply
- Alan
  
  Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 8:09 pm
  
  And I wonder where they originally acquired the tech from?
  
  Reply
  - Jean
    
    Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 11:07 pm
    
    the technology were originally acquired from Germany, France, and Japan. But after years of operating high speed train and developing their own design, I guess China gained valuable experience in improving those designs. So it’s not crazy to say that China’s high speed train sucks. Not to mention that China has the largest developing high speed train network in the world, and their products are cheaper than those three countries I listed, so It’s not surprising that they decided to choose China for this deal.
    
    Reply
Canton Pop

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 11:44 am

I will delete following types of comments under my posts from now on

Does this apply across the board for all of ChinaSMACK, or just for your posts, Python posts?

For what it’s worth, I would like to see more vigorous moderation across all threads. This shouldn’t be limited to your 5 rules listed above. Feel free to exercise discretionary power in editing or deleting any content you feel is objectionable or otherwise inappropriate.

This is a great site, but the commenters here are ruining it.

Reply
- Python
  
  Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 12:26 pm
  
  Sorry I can only moderate comments under my own posts. I want to moderate the rest but I can’t. Other staff writers may have different rules on moderation.
  
  Reply
billy joel

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 12:03 pm

The Idiot who said “in the 1950′s Russia helped us build A-bomb”

what the fuck is he spoking? Russia provided some help ,but insignificantly before the sino-soviet split.

USSR helped shit.

Reply
- chabuduoxiansheng
  
  Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 1:45 am
  
  If you think China developed the A-bomb without significant help from the Soviet Union back only years after the Manhattan Project then you’re smoking the shit I’d like to be smoking. Get out of la la land, China is always copying mad shit from the Russkies. Especially military technology.
  
  Reply
The John

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 1:02 pm

How does one get mod powers on this site? lol

Anyways, I think that China and the US both get respect from me. As I can see, both of them are really focused on improving their countries. I all am proud that all of these countries have the abilities to seek change.

Let’s not forget that the US and China actually ARE friends. I don’t understand why people can’t get that through their heads…

Whatever…

Reply
Teacher in China

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 4:39 pm

I agree with you and Canton Pop. I’m disappointed at how quickly the comments here have degenerated into a pissing contest where people want to outdo each other by saying the most ignorant, hateful, blatantly racist things they can possibly say.
The fact that the comments used to be more intelligent was the biggest reason I became addicted to this site in the first place. Now, I just find myself shaking my head and scanning through post after post of garbage.
Just my humble opinion, but moderate till your heart’s content Python.

Reply
Sergei

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 4:55 pm

The fine words of the leaders belie the reality in the dongbei of China, where the Chinese are contemptuous of their ‘Hong Mao’ neighbours. Go to Heihe/Blagoveschensk, separated by a frozen river, and see the clash of Chinese ad Russian cultures. In Chinese eyes, Russians are poor and backward, vodka-drinking sloths with no business skills. Russians do not trust Chinese who buy their advanced weapons and then clone them and sell them more successfully.

Reply
- Alan
  
  Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 5:12 pm
  
  Thanks for the post Sergei. Blagoveschensk is a place I’ve always been curious to visit.
  
  I agree about the stereotypes, Chinese tend to lump all lao wais into certain categories.
  
  For Russians its drunken “lao mao zi”.
  
  Hard to believe in 2009,alas.
  
  Reply
FYIADragoon

Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 2:14 pm

Surprised Putin didn’t break his hand in the handshake. The man is an animal. Seriously, I want to see what his workout is.

Also, Russia’s the only country that stands on an equal plane with America for a reason. Chinese shouldn’t be too eager to turn into Russia’s Asian puppet (Japan?).

Reply
fireworks

Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 3:46 pm

Russia needs China more than China needs Russia. Russia has a rapidly aging and falling population. Its vast country will be depopulated due to natural population growth. China needs Russia for natural resources such as oil.

It would be nice the area now part of Primorsky Krai will return to China in some form when China becomes politically and economically stronger than Russia. During the last 200 years Russia has annexed and expanded territories outside its European territories.

Reply
- chinese prostitutes
  
  Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 1:20 am
  
  this wont happen you dumb chinese, north china has lower birth rate than far east, also china has increased urbanization they rather move to their towns,
  
  russia has so many nukes as china has people, if china really wants some land america and japan are there too, dumb arrogant. China actually imports more from russia than it export to there.
  
  Russia can always choose who can be its friend from west, east and south.
  
  Reply
Jean

Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 11:11 pm

Ten years ago, business was the other way around. Now, it’s Russia asking China to help them develop their high speed train network. Ten years from now, it will be Japan and Europe asking China to cooperate and even the ban on weapons will be lifted. Though, I think the ban should be lifted now, because it’s better to make some money now, cause China sooner or later will catch others in terms of techonology.

Reply
ImmortalTechnique

Friday, October 16, 2009 at 2:15 pm

Big Up to Python on moderating the comments. You can already notice a big difference.

My initial reaction to this piece was how most westerners might react, a slight internal disapproval, but that’s just indoctrinated fear of the “reds”. The two countries are more or less natural allies. Business as usual.

Reply
Jei

Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 11:13 am

I wouldn’t be so sure betting on Russia. The Russian government has been rather dangerous to Kasparov who’s only crime was trying to get the Russian people to be more involved with the government. Not to mention the treatment of the Tajiks at the hands of former KGB and Russian supremacists doesn’t seem to bode well for immigrants…
Hopefully I’m wrong and Medvedev will decentralize some of the power in the government, but the fact that so many political offices in Russia rely on appointments from the Kremlin tells me that it’s not happening very soon.
Perhaps none of these issues will come into play in Russia’s alliance with China, but I tend to think domestic policies, especially ones so drastic, tend to bleed over into foreign policy.

Reply
RR

Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 6:44 am

Putin is KGB, the KGB were notorious for their brutal treatment of the populous and he is slowly turning Russia back into a Prison as it was so long ago.

Any deal with Putin and the KGB will do nothing but push China towards becoming a Prison Country like Russia historically has been and in some ways still is.

Reply