Trump’s Beijing Visit Will Not Change Global Alliances

Summary

Independent China expert Bronislav Vinogrodsky, in an interview with Pravda.Ru, spoke about Donald Trump's visit to China, Beijing's relations with Russia and the United States, the situation surrounding Iran and Taiwan. He also tried to explain why the strategic partnership between Moscow and Beijing will continue to deepen despite Western pressure. Trump's Visit to China and Iran Issue Q: Donald Trump's visit to China is now at the center of attention. Western media reports say Iran was the main topic of the negotiations. What do you think? A: Right now, two major processes dominate the planet: Iran versus the United States and Israel, and Ukraine. So Iran will undoubtedly be the hotter and more important topic. China, as a global power, cannot stay outside discussions on this issue. Q: What does Trump want from China? A: He does not want China to interfere. He does not want China to support Iran. China, in turn, says that it is not interfering anyway. And if it escorts ships through the Strait of Hormuz, it does so solely in its own interests. We should not expect China to openly declare that "the United States is wrong and Iran is right.” China is incredibly diplomatic and strategic. If it points somewhere, you should not look where the finger points, but where the direction itself leads. China, Russia, and Beijing's Interests Q: And where does the "Iran direction” lead for China? A: Toward supporting Russia and protecting China's own interests. Russia is China's closest neighbor, and the Chinese have a saying: "A close neighbor is dearer than a distant relative.” Russia supports Iran, and these are parallel structures: Russia and Ukraine on one side, Iran and Israel together with the United States on the other. China wants Russia to remain strong. That is why it certainly does not support the United States. Q: Is China helping Iran in practical terms? A: Obviously, some form of assistance exists, but nobody can speak about it directly. Everything happens discreetly. No one will openly supply weapons and publicly announce it. In the same way, China officially avoids taking sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Formally, it supplies nothing to anyone, although everyone understands how the situation actually works. The Decline of Europe and Russia's Pivot to the East Q: How important are integration projects involving China, Iran, and Russia, such as the North-South transport corridor? A: We are witnessing the decline of Europe and, after it, the United States. They still move forward on inertia, but it is already clear that much is deteriorating. The ideology itself has died. The United States has shown itself to be deceitful and morally corrupt in many ways. Hollywood still preserves some influence, but trust is gone. Everyone understands that the United States and Europe can betray their partners at any moment. China, meanwhile, has not betrayed anyone. It is a powerful partner. Russia also behaves consistently. Much of this stems from the fact that Russia has begun freeing itself from dependence on Europe. For centuries, we lived under overwhelming European and Euro-American ideological influence. Now Russia is going through a difficult but important process of liberation from that dependence. China also once stood on the brink of losing its independence. In the first half of the twentieth century, it was effectively semi-colonized. Britain, Europe, and the United States all tried to gain control over it. China therefore understands perfectly well the price of Western influence and does not support it. Putin's Visit and the Strategic Alliance With China Q: Vladimir Putin will travel to China immediately after Trump. He has already hinted at major agreements. What could they involve? A: Most likely, we are talking about new long-term strategic agreements between Russia and China across a wide range of sectors. Possibly new energy projects such as Power of Siberia 2. We can already see Russia-China cooperation expanding against the backdrop of sanctions and attempts to strangle Russia economically. A visa-free regime has appeared, people-to-people exchanges have increased, and all of this is genuinely working. Russia has turned toward the East more than once because the country spent a long time wavering between East and West. Of course, some forces suggest Russia should distance itself from China. Incidentally, that is one of Trump's ideas: let us manage the world together against China. But Vladimir Putin, in my opinion, does not tolerate betrayal. He will hold firmly to relations with China. The United States and Europe have betrayed others before, continue to do so, and will keep doing so — they lack moral principles in this matter. Taiwan as a Tool of Pressure Q: Taiwan is also described as one of the key topics of negotiations. Are any concessions possible here? A: Nothing fundamental will change. U.S. support for Taiwan serves as a strategic tool for pressuring China. Beijing has to spend enormous resources on this issue. The same happened with Xinjiang and Tibet — attempts to destabilize China from within. China fully understands how the United States operates. Perhaps both sides will exchange polite words, but in essence everything will remain the same. Q: So China will not make serious economic concessions over Taiwan? A: No, it will not. How Chinese Political Culture Works Q: When people look at Xi Jinping, they often sense complete emotional impenetrability. What kind of person is he? A: For Chinese leadership, this is entirely normal. They do not display emotions publicly. It is an ancient philosophical tradition. At home they may be open people, but public politics is a completely different story. The leader of a great power must maintain status. Q: Does he change in personal communication? A: I have never spoken with him personally, so I cannot say. Can China Be Destabilized? Q: Is it possible to trigger an internal revolution in China today? A: China has gone through such periods before. For nearly thirty years, the country existed in chaos and turmoil. The communists came and restored order. The issue was not ideology. They literally pulled China off opium and stabilized the country. Yes, there were difficult and controversial experiments — the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap Forward — but in the end China has moved steadily for forty years and delivered unique development results. All of this happened against the backdrop of constant attempts to prevent China's rise. The United States genuinely helped China with technology and investment because it benefited from moving production there. But the real question is who ultimately outplayed whom. Today China is independent from both the United States and Russia. Corruption and Purges in the Chinese Military Q: What do the purges in the Chinese military signify? A: There is a lot of money now, and people steal. Corruption scandals periodically emerge in the military: bribes, abuses of power. China became wealthier and accumulated serious resources, so the purges have also become larger in scale. Q: So this is more about corruption than politics? A: Corruption is always tied to politics. The moment a person starts stealing and taking bribes, that person automatically enters into conflict with the central authorities. How Trump's Visit Will End Q: How do you see the outcome of Trump's visit? Is any breakthrough possible? A: No. They will talk and part ways. There will be no breakthrough. Q: Then why does China need this meeting? A: China simply maintains relations. Trump tries to act aggressively, but many things do not work out for him. China's position appears far more stable. I do not believe Trump's visit will produce serious results. But after Vladimir Putin's visit, I think genuine breakthroughs and new agreements are entirely possible.

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Lyuba LulkoBy Lyuba Lulko

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Jun 22, 2026diplomacyUnverifiedUSIsraelIranProxy

US-Iran Peace Deal Live: Iranian President to visit Pakistan on Tuesday as peace talks yield 60-day roadmap

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Advertisement US-Iran peace deal US-Iran Peace Deal Live: Iranian President to visit Pakistan on Tuesday as peace talks yield 60-day roadmap New Delhi,UPDATED: Jun 22, 2026 19:20 IST US-Iran Peace Deal News Live Updates: US-Iran diplomacy gained momentum after a marathon round of talks in Switzerland produced what mediators Pakistan and Qatar described as a roadmap for a final agreement within 60 days.

US Vice President JD Vance said Tehran had agreed to allow nuclear inspectors into the country and work on mechanisms covering frozen Iranian assets, regional ceasefires and the Strait of Hormuz. Vance said discussions on nuclear inspections could begin as early as this week, while technical teams will remain engaged even after Iran's top negotiators returned to Tehran following 18 hours of intensive negotiations.

The talks also established a communication channel to help ensure safe commercial shipping through Strait of Hormuz and a mechanism aimed at preventing renewed fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. Despite the diplomatic progress, tensions remained visible.

Iran had briefly closed the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, accusing the United States of failing to uphold commitments to halt fighting in Lebanon. However, mediators said discussions were held in a constructive atmosphere and yielded encouraging progress.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to visit Pakistan on Tuesday in a trip expected to focus on bilateral cooperation and follow-up discussions on Islamabad's mediation efforts. Meanwhile, a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon largely held, marking the longest lull in violence in three months of conflict.

Lebanese officials reported near-total adherence to the truce despite isolated incidents, while Israeli leaders insisted any final agreement must ensure Iran cannot use future financial relief to support military activities or regional proxy groups.

Follow IndiaToday.in for the latest updates....Read More Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to arrive in Pakistan on a one-day visit on Tuesday. (File Photo: Press TV) 2 Jun 22, 2026 19:20 IST US-Iran Deal: Iranian President to visit Pakistan Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will make a one-day visit to Pakistan on Tuesday, Iranian officials said.

Habib Abbasi, director-general of public relations at the presidential office, said the trip will focus on implementing previous agreements and exploring new trade opportunities. Pezeshkian is also expected to "express appreciation" for Pakistan's role in mediating between Iran and the United States, according to Tasnim news agency.

Jun 22, 2026 19:14 IST US-Iran Deal: Here's what happened so far - US Vice President JD Vance said talks with Iran made significant progress, with Tehran agreeing to allow nuclear inspectors, establish mechanisms for handling frozen assets and support efforts to manage regional ceasefires.

- Speaking after negotiations in Switzerland, Vance said discussions on nuclear inspections could begin as early as this week and confirmed that technical talks would continue in the coming days and weeks. - Iran’s senior negotiating team departed Switzerland for Tehran after 18 hours of intensive discussions, while technical experts remained behind to continue work on the Islamabad memorandum of understanding.

- Pakistan and Qatar, which mediated the talks, said Washington and Tehran agreed on a roadmap aimed at reaching a final agreement within 60 days and described the first round of negotiations as encouraging. - The two sides also agreed to establish a mechanism to help prevent clashes in Lebanon and create a communications channel to safeguard commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil supplies.

- The talks followed an interim agreement reached last week and continued despite renewed tensions after President Donald Trump threatened military action against Iran and Tehran warned Washington over its rhetoric. - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to visit Pakistan on Tuesday for a one-day trip.

Iranian officials said he would discuss bilateral cooperation and express appreciation for Islamabad’s role in facilitating US-Iran diplomacy. - A ceasefire in Lebanon largely held on Monday, marking the longest period of relative calm in nearly three months of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, although isolated incidents were still reported.

- Lebanese security officials said adherence to the ceasefire had been "almost total" since Saturday evening, despite reports of limited Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon and drone flights over Beirut. - The conflict in Lebanon has remained a major test for the interim US-Iran agreement, with Tehran previously accusing Washington of failing to ensure an end to hostilities and briefly reimposing restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz.

- Vance said progress had also been made toward reducing tensions in Lebanon, while negotiators worked to establish safeguards aimed at preventing future escalation. - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran had secured waivers for oil and petrochemical exports, the release of some frozen assets and the launch of a reconstruction and development programme under the broader diplomatic framework.

- Oil prices, which surged after tensions disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, fell further after the latest round of talks, easing concerns about global supply disruptions. - Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the negotiations as constructive and said the first round of talks had concluded successfully, laying the groundwork for a broader peace agreement.

- Israeli officials signalled support for a diplomatic resolution but stressed that any final deal must ensure Iran cannot use financial relief or released assets to fund military activities or regional proxy groups.

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