‘Time to Pick Sides’: CCP Advisor Censored for Urging Beijing to Distance Itself From Russia
From The Epoch Times By March 15, 2022
Natalie’s Commentary: Is there a possible end in sight? A significant shift may be in Xi Jinping’s best interest when a policy advisor for the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) cabinet-like State Council called for Beijing to distance itself from Russia’s war in Ukraine was censored on the country’s Internet.
None the less this kind of significant news made its way to those of us who were praying for a miracle to end the brutality and carnage Russia haphazardly decided to attack Ukrainian civilians, just because Ukraine was exercising it’s independence to join NATO.
For 44 million people in Ukraine, their lives have literally been turned upside down. Many of whom were killed or severely injured. Ukrainian refugees have no choice but to walk to another country, into nearby Poland, for safety.
Hu Wei, Vice-Chairman of the Public Policy Research Centre of the Counsellor’s Office wrote to warn the CCP’s decision-makers of what he predicts will be Russian President Vladimir Putin’s defeat and “a short time window” for China to pick sides between Russia and the West.
Meaning Xi Jinping is now under the gun to pick a side that would not tarnish China’s reputation on the world stage. With this kind of news, there must be an important and imminent meeting scheduled between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. Russia has committed war crimes in the last three weeks in most of Ukraine. Let it end, for the fear and shock to subside and for those innocent people to recuperate and eventually build back if they return to their home country of Ukraine. ~ Natalie
The censoring of the post came as pro-Russian rhetoric flourished on the heavily monitored Chinese web.
A policy advisor for the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) cabinet-like State Council who called for Beijing to distance itself from Russia’s war in Ukraine was censored on the country’s internet, the latest voice criticizing the invasion to be silenced by the communist regime.
Hu Wei, vice-chairman of the Public Policy Research Centre of the Counsellor’s Office of the State Council, wrote to warn the CCP’s decision-makers of what he predicts will be Russian President Vladimir Putin’s defeat and “a short time window” for China to pick sides between Russia and the West.
Hu’s article, titled “Possible Outcomes of the Russo-Ukrainian War and China’s Choice,” was first published in Chinese on the U.S.-China Perception Monitor (USCNPM) website, a publication operated by the U.S.-based non-profit The Carter Center on March 5, two days after China abstained from voting on a United Nations General Assembly motion to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The article, which was posted to USCNPM’s WeChat account on March 12 and deleted two hours later, was censored across the Chinese web.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Chinese censors have clamped down on those condemning Moscow’s aggression while allowing pro-Russian voices to proliferate online. These measures fall in line with Beijing’s official position that seeks to portray a neutral stance but is viewed by many as tacitly supporting Russia.
‘Irreversible Mistake’
In his article, Hu speculated that “the hope of Russia’s victory is slim” in the Ukraine war, which would lead to a post-war Russia with a political landscape void of great power status.
“After Putin’s blitzkrieg failed, the hope of Russia’s victory is slim and Western sanctions have reached an unprecedented degree,” the article reads, “Russia is unable to support a protracted war and its associated high costs.”
Even if Russia succeeded in taking over Ukraine, Hu said, it would not be long until Russia could no longer cope with the international sanction effort and prospective rebellion forces within Ukraine.
“Ukraine will most likely set up a government-in-exile to confront Russia in the long term. Russia will be subject both to Western sanctions and rebellion within the territory of Ukraine. The battle lines will be drawn very long. The domestic economy will be unsustainable,” he continued.
“In any case, this military action constitutes an irreversible mistake.”
Short Window of Time
In his article, Hu envisioned a post-Ukraine-war world order with U.S. allies more united, an expanded NATO, and an America “regaining leadership status” in the West—all of which, he says, are signs that China should “cut ties” with Russia as soon as possible.
Hu warned that China has “1-2 weeks” to choose between standing by Putin and siding with the “world’s mainstream stance.”
“At present, China has tried not to offend either side and walked a middle ground in its international statements and choices, including abstaining from the U.N. Security Council and the U.N. General Assembly votes.”
“However, this position does not meet Russia’s needs, and it has infuriated Ukraine and its supporters as well as sympathizers, putting China on the wrong side of much of the world,” he said.
“China cannot be tied to Putin and needs to be cut off as soon as possible.”
Pulled Two Ways
Hu’s recommendation came as top officials from both the United States and Russia demanded China stand on their respective sides.
On Sunday, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said in a TV interview that Russia’s partnership with China would “increase” as Western nations continue to ramp up sanctions on Russia.
“We have part of our gold and foreign exchange reserves in the Chinese currency, in yuan. And we see what pressure is being exerted by Western countries on China to limit mutual trade with China. Of course, there is pressure to limit access to those reserves,” he said.
“But I think that our partnership with China will still allow us to maintain the cooperation that we have achieved, and not only maintain, but also increase it in an environment where Western markets are closing.”
On the same day, U.S. officials warned China would face “severe consequences” if it helped Russia evade sanctions.
“We are communicating directly, privately to Beijing that there will absolutely be consequences for large-scale sanctions evasion efforts or support to Russia to backfill them,” White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN.
Sullivan and CCP’s top diplomat Yang Jieshi met in Rome on Monday. According to a White House readout, the two sides “raised a range of issues in U.S.-China relations, with substantial discussion of Russia’s war against Ukraine.”
‘New Iron Curtain’
Hu’s article also anticipates a “new iron curtain” dividing countries that are governed by liberal democratic values with authoritarian regimes.
“The new Iron Curtain will no longer be drawn between the two camps of socialism and capitalism, nor will it be confined to the Cold War. It will be a life-and-death battle between those for and against Western democracy,” Hu said.
According to Brigadier General Robert Spalding, senior fellow at the D.C.-based Hudson Institute, the Chinese regime will not position itself against Putin “because [Xi Jinping] needs support to invade Taiwan.”
“This is where the world order fractures between authoritarianism and democracy,” he said on Twitter on Sunday.
Spalding told the Epoch Times on March 8 that Russia required “tacit approval” from the CCP before invading Ukraine. Spalding warned it is vital for the West to recognize the threat posed to the international order by the axis of authoritarian powers.
“This is a long-term effort that really hinges on whether the free world recognizes that China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and other authoritarian regimes have to be confronted and have to be isolated economically, or this is going to consume the world,” he said.