Sinologist Maslov called for taking “horror stories” about China’s dominance over Russia seriously

“Dependency on the yuan is no better than dependence on the dollar”

The West doesn’t know what to do with China, so it spreads horror stories about it. This is how Chinese scholar Alexey Maslov commented on Tucker Carlson’s question about whether Vladimir Putin fears that China will dominate BRICS. At the same time, the expert is confident that Russia risks falling under the dominance of any strong country if it behaves the way it previously behaved with the West.

“Perhaps you exchanged one colonial power for another, but one that was more gentle? Perhaps BRICS today is in danger of being dominated by a kinder colonial power, China? Is this good for sovereignty, do you think? Does this bother you? Tucker Carlson asked President Vladimir Putin in an interview.

The Russian leader responded that “we are well aware of these horror stories.”

Director of the Institute of Asian and African Countries, Moscow State University. Lomonosov Alexey Maslov, in a conversation with MK, explained why the West reacts this way to Russia’s rapprochement with China.

“This (talk that Russia could become an “appendage” of China – MK’s note) is really a horror story, because the West does not understand what to do with China,” explained Alexey Maslov.

Meanwhile, the scientist is confident that Moscow should carefully choose its strategy for dealing with partners. Otherwise, the risk of becoming dependent on another country will turn from a horror story into a reality.

– We should be wary of the dominance of any country that has a developed economy and advanced technology. We must use the negative experience that we gained while working with the West, when we essentially handed over our scientific achievements and the structure of education to Western technologies and capital. There is no need to go to the same extreme as with the West in relation to China. Dependence on the yuan is no better than dependence on the dollar. We must use experience to strengthen our sovereign economy, politics, and technology. Actually, that’s what is being done now,” Maslov emphasized.

At the same time, the orientalist focused on the need to maintain good relations with the PRC.

“China is our partner, with whom we will live, I hope, for centuries,” the scientist noted. “We have the longest border in the world.” This is a border of both trade and civilization. And we won’t get away from this. Therefore, maintaining good neighborly relations is the number one issue. This is also important for China, because it also has the longest border with Russia.

Regarding China’s colonial intentions, Maslov drew attention to an important detail, which for some reason Western analysts do not notice. Russia, despite serious support for a number of Chinese initiatives, including the Belt and Road program, is not part of it. While the overwhelming number of Western countries have signed an agreement with the Belt and Road. Not to mention the countries of Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

In addition, China invests in Russia tens of times less than it invests in Western Europe and the United States, the expert emphasizes. So the big question is who depends on whose capital.