Russia, US urge China as anchorChina as anchor for trade and peace
Russia and the United States said China should play a stabilizing role in global trade and regional security, according to a report published by the South China Morning Post on May 21, 2026.
The article said they called on countries not to block trade routes or threaten supply chains, while also warning that Japan’s rearmament could unsettle Asia.
It matters because it points to unusual overlap between Moscow and Washington on China and wider security risks in the Indo-Pacific.
Reported joint view
Russia and the United States are presented as seeing China as a stabilizing force that could support trade and reduce friction in the region. In this account, both countries want open supply chains and more predictable security conditions.
Regional security concern
The article also says they view Japan’s rearmament as a serious risk to regional peace and stability. That framing places military buildup and shipping routes at the center of the concern.
- The Strait of Hormuz is only about 33 kilometers wide at its narrowest point.
- Japan’s pacifist constitution was written under Allied occupation after World War II.
- China has long tried to present itself as a mediator in major Eurasian disputes.
US-China Indo-Pacific Rivalry
China and Taiwan coast guard vessels have repeatedly faced off near the Pratas Islands, with the latest standoff showing how small maritime incidents around Taiwan can quickly become confrontations.[1][5] The episode adds to wider U.S.-China military tension across the Indo-Pacific, where Beijing is expanding patrols and Washington is reinforcing regional deterrence.[2][3] The rivalry now centers on preventing miscalculation around Taiwan, the South China Sea, and nearby sea lanes.[1][3][5] It also shapes defense planning by Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and the United States as all sides weigh coercion, sovereignty claims, and the risk of escalation.[2][3]
24 May, 07:39 AM
Taiwan and China coast guards face off near Pratas islands1 January
The United States adopts a sharper great-power competition strategy focused on China
