China says it is willing to deepen relations with Russia as Kevin Rudd weighs in on Taiwan

China has made its first official comments on Russia since President Xi Jinping secured a third term in power, as former PM Kevin Rudd weighed in on tensions over Taiwan.

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd outlined an ambitious strategy to prevent war amid spiralling US-Chinese relations and Xi Jinping’s “cult of personality”.

Speaking as president of the Asia Society in New York this week after Chairman Xi’s stunning power grab at the Communist Party Congress, Mr Rudd said the G20 Bali summit with US president Joe Biden in November posed the best hope of preventing the “continued slide into armed conflict”.

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The dire prediction comes as Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office said China’s forces were more confident and capable than ever to regaining control over Taiwan.

“We’re also closer than ever in history — as well as more confident and capable — to realising the complete reunification of the motherland,” said Chinese government’s spokesman Ma Xiaoguang.

Kevin Rudd speaks to Xi Jinping in 2010, after the then-prime minister began to notice worry signs coming out of China. Picture: AAP

Mr Rudd, who this week told The Australian he had zero plans for a role in the Albanese government amid speculation he would be named US ambassador, told the US think tank that there was still time for diplomacy despite the dramatic slide since he first started worrying as Prime Minister of Australia.

“I’m heading off to the Beijing Olympics in 2008 as a guest of the government, and I’m starting to get worried about what I’m reading,” Mr Rudd said.

“Something was in the ether around about Olympics time. And remember the massive repressive actions at Tibet at the time, crackdowns to ensure there would be social stability around the Olympics, but also the operational posture of the PLA [People’s Liberation Army].”

Almost 15 years later, Mr Rudd says the US and its allies like Australia are in a strategic competition with China for who will be the world’s major in the next 15 years, “whether China recognises it or not”.

“The prize is who is the pre-eminent regional and global power by the mid-century. That’s what’s underway at the moment,” Mr Rudd said.

He said as long as Xi Jinping remains in power, the only way to avoid war is the build military, technological and economic deterrence while seeking a diplomatic floor to the “systemic spiralling down of the strategic relationship” the world is witnessing.

Former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd says he has no plans to quit his role as President of the Asia Society for a role in the Albanese government. Picture: AFP

“Cause Xi Jinping, if he is still in power, to conclude, in the early 2030s, that the risk of actually a war by design to take Taiwan at that stage, because the deterrent capabilities have kept pace with China’s own military modernisation efforts, and the financial and economic risks, are too great,” Mr Rudd said.

“I don’t think there is a different way of handling it between now and then,” he said, adding that there is still a window to avoid a shooting war as both sides have a deep interest in stabilising the relationship before it’s too late.

“They know that they can’t agree, they know that they’re on long term railway tracks towards a potential conflict, but not in the immediate future, but they are both legitimately anxious about this thing spiralling out of control.”

CHINA TO DEEPEN TIES WITH RUSSIA

China wants to deepen its relations with Russia and supports it fully, the foreign minister said in another display of Beijing avoiding criticism of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

China and Russia had a tumultuous relationship during the Cold War but have grown closer in recent years as they worked to counter the United States.

China has steadfastly avoided criticising Russia for invading Ukraine and instead blames the United States and NATO for the war.

Beijing says Washington and NATO pushed Russia into a corner with steady expansion of the transatlantic military alliance and by backing Ukraine’s drive to be a pro-Western democracy.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reiterated Beijing’s backing of Russia, despite Western criticism over the war.

Xi Jinping says the US and NATO pushed Russia into a corner with steady expansion of the transatlantic military alliance. Picture: AFP

“China will also firmly support the Russian side, under the leadership of President (Vladimir) Putin, to unite and lead the Russian people to overcome difficulties and eliminate disturbances,” Mr Wang said on Thursday in a call with his counterpart Sergei Lavrov, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

“China is willing to deepen contacts with the Russian side at all levels,” Mr Wang said, according to CCTV.

These were China’s first official comments on Russia since President Xi Jinping secured a third term in power on Sunday as leader of the world’s most populous country.

Vladimir Putin speaks to Xi Jinping during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders' summit in Samarkand on September 16. Picture: AFP

Last month Mr Xi expressed support for Mr Putin, despite the Russian military’s setbacks in the war in Ukraine.

Mr Xi said China is willing to work with Russia for mutual support of their “fundamental interests.”

Mr Wang met last month with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. It was their first public meeting since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.

This was seen as a sign that China wants to nuance its position on the war; officially it is neutral but the West says China is too conciliatory toward Moscow.

With AFP

Originally published as China says it is willing to deepen relations with Russia as Kevin Rudd weighs in on Taiwan