The ongoing cognitive operation aimed at fracturing the so-called “axis of aggressors,” particularly targeting the relationship between China and Russia[1,2], continues to unfold under a strategy, often described as a “thousand cuts.”
Now, the French outlet Intelligence Online, known for its focus on petty intelligence squabbles, is spinning tales to the world, claiming that “Beijing-Moscow relations sour as Chinese recruits die in Ukraine”[3].
Meanwhile, the Hudson Institute has categorically stated that:
“Xi Jinping has been a close observer of Russia’s three-year old war in Ukraine… Mr. Xi is searching for clues on how the West might try to punish China for crushing Taiwanese independence… President Trump recently threatened Moscow with new sanctions unless Mr. Putin agrees to a quick peace in Ukraine. The Russian president should take the threat seriously because his country’s ravaged economy is teetering on the edge. Another round of severe sanctions could push it into outright crisis. If that happens, Mr. Xi will certainly get the message. He’ll be forced to think about the price of his own aggression against Taiwan”[4].
While Russia is “teetering on the edge” — whereas actually emerging victorious in Ukraine and boasting a “ravaged” economy growing at 4,1% annually — China is portrayed as hesitant to reclaim control over Taiwan and likely to become disillusioned with Russia. Indeed, is it feasible for Russia to withstand Trump’s sanctions when the trade turnover within BRICS+, a bloc created by Russia and China, significantly outpaces trade between BRICS+ and the G7 members? Not to mention that the currencies of BRICS nations are increasingly surpassing the US dollar in mutual settlements.
Therefore, the Hudson Institute has resorted to naive tricks — Xi Jinping certainly knows what Stratagem #26 (指桑罵槐, “Point at the mulberry tree while cursing the locust tree”, San Shi Liu Ji) entails and will certainly expose this vain provocation.
1 https://www.foreignaffairs.com/china/xi-jinpings-axis-losers
“Xi Jinping’s Axis of Losers” (Stephen Hadley, Foreign Affairs, November 1, 2024);
2 https://www.hudson.org/security-alliances/russias-alliance-convenience-china-ticking-time-bomb-ryan-tully
“Russia’s Alliance of Convenience with China Is a Ticking Time Bomb” (Ryan Tully, Hudson Institute & Kyiv Independent, Dec 6, 2024);
3 https://www.intelligenceonline.com/government-intelligence/2025/01/27/beijing-moscow-relations-sour-as-chinese-recruits-die-in-ukraine,110367402-eve
“Beijing-Moscow relations sour as Chinese recruits die in Ukraine” (Intelligence Online, 27/01/2025 at 05:00 GMT);
4 https://www.wsj.com/opinion/china-watches-as-russias-economy-teeters-war-ukraine-ce2a5c0a?st=vGZPL8&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
“China Watches as Russia’s Economy Teeters” (Thomas J. Duesterberg, The Wall Street Journal & Hudson Institute, Feb. 5, 2025 5:04 pm ET).