Recently, China and Russia announced the beginning of an alliance similar to the beginnings of the Warsaw Pact.
Grubbe de Havilland, China’s Foreign Minister, had this to say:
“We view ourselves as the two most obviously large forces in the continental area, literally and otherwise, and believe that working together we can ensure the safety of the entire Asian continent and all of its peoples. Through this, we have agreed to complete cooperation in all military tasks when needed, as well as coordination of research and operations and many other things I am not at liberty to discuss. This cooperation of our military and science communities, as well as transparency are what we are currently offering, with more sure to come as events continue to unfold. In this time, we must remember who the enemy is, and know that the only way to survive is through cooperation.”
When asked what enemy he was referencing, he clarified:
“The many destabilized nations in the area present an ever present threat to all those who share borders or proximity to them. The proliferation of nuclear arms and widespread terrorism in nearby regions could cause a great deal of harm to all people nearby, and so we feel it is in everyone’s best interests at this time for the most powerful and stable nations in the region to form this Pan-Asiatic Coalition. We must strive for our own continued survival, and for the good of all mankind.”
When asked about Japan being included in this alliance, he stated:
“We have many considerations for the future, chief among them being seeking to make agreements with the United Kingdom to try to mend old wounds and move forward together. If a gang of gun toting psychopaths like ISIS can rise up and practically take over entire countries, putting a stranglehold on our resources and threatening our way of life without us being able to stop them, then it’s obvious that our current measures are not enough. We owe it to the world and all of its peoples to remain civilized and strong in the face of such heinous atrocities, and work together to keep everyone safe. We have also considered talking with Japan and inviting them into the coalition, but relations are still tense and our people are wary of one another. Some wounds take a long time to heal.”
Although ISIS was apparently eradicated in 2017, the idea of a stateless military force not beholden to any one nation echoes to this day. One of the destabilized nations bordering China is North Korea, and on that topic, the Foreign Minister had this to say:
“While we may have distanced ourselves from much of the DPRK’s saber rattling in recent history, we still consider them a powerful and respectable nation, and would actually prefer if they would be willing to join the alliance and work together with others for a change, if only for their own good. We do however recognize the unlikelihood of that coming to pass.”
As for the alliance eventually containing both North and South Korea:
“We all want that, don’t we? But we fear that is beyond our grasp at this moment. Perhaps if we are able to unite ourselves with Japan or the UK, and show marked improvement as a direct result, they will be more willing to hear such suggestions.”
To close the interview, I asked if this alliance was intended to eventually combine both NATO countries and former Warsaw Pact countries and usher in a golden age of international cooperation and understanding. The Minister seemed cautiously optimistic:
“In more recent times, modern technology has brought all of our people together. Within the blink of an eye you can see the streets of New York or speak to someone from Paris, and in this age we all realize that we are all the same, and all want and deserve the same things. These old hatreds are based on the ignorance and evils of the past, and the only way to move forward into the future is to come together, cooperate, and break down these old walls. Some wounds take nothing more than a great deal of time to heal, and so we can’t claim to cure all of the ills caused by the world wars, but it will certainly be a step in the direction of what we believe to be an honorable and just goal.”
It remains to be seen how many of these lofty goals will be attained or even reached for, and whether other alliances – like, for instance, the recent alliance between Japan and France, will prove to be positive or negative for the new Pan-Asiatic Coalition.