Peace, development and justice pillars of Sino-Russian relations: China Daily editorial

The United States and its allies, such as Japan and the United Kingdom, are becoming increasingly "limitless" in misusing their international status and influence to provoke dissensions and enforce the jungle law for the purpose of safeguarding their privileged positions.

Showing no respect to the countries that do not submit to their will, they smear them as rogues, pariahs or authoritarian states. Showing no observance of the international rules, laws and order they leave no stone unturned in their efforts to suppress them. Showing no sense of responsibility to address global challenges, they try to pass the buck to the less-developed countries.

That is not true leadership, just a misuse of power.

Peace, development and win-win cooperation are still the irresistible trends of the times. A multipolar international landscape is emerging at a faster pace, emerging markets and developing countries are gaining in stature, and more and more regional powers with global influence are determined to defend their legitimate rights and interests.

The proxy war the US plotted and is now trying to escalate in Ukraine is the result of it and its followers trying to maintain their hegemony.

The Ukraine crisis is caused by the practices of the US and NATO seeking military and strategic advantages to the detriment of the legitimate security interests of other countries. The US has instigated it in a bid to weaken Russia, keep Europe at its side and ostracize China.

Yet the relations between China and Russia are not a marriage of convenience or shotgun wedding brought about by the West's attempts to impair them. It is not a military or political alliance such as that among the members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It transcends this model of state-to-state relations upholding the principles of being non-aligned, non-confrontational and not directed against any third country.

The wide scope of the joint statement on deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Russia, released on Tuesday in Moscow, fully proves the pro-development, pro-peace and pro-justice nature of their ties.

The maturity, stability, independence and resilience of Sino-Russian ties originate from their common views on how big countries should work together to handle their relations, fulfill their common international responsibility to uphold fairness and justice, and bring tangible benefits to their peoples and beyond. The cooperation among any responsible major countries in that regard should always be "limitless". The development of China-Russia ties is not subject to the approval of any external forces.

As the joint statement says, countries differ in history, culture and national conditions, they have the right to independently choose their development paths. There is no such thing as "democracy" that is superior to others. The practices of imposing one's own values on others, drawing lines by ideology, using democracy and freedom as an excuse or political tool to pressure other countries should be opposed by all countries.