How to tackle the challenge between Russia and China

As world leaders gather in New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly, Russia’s massive, genocidal war against Ukraine is now in its third year. This conflict has resulted not only in the enormous suffering of Ukrainians, but also in a reordering of the world order.

In its attempt to subdue the Ukrainians, Russia has enlisted the help of traditional rogue states Tehran And Pyongyang and the authoritarian regime in Beijing. This axis of dictatorships is now here to stay.

Although Beijing will pretend to play peacemaker in the Ukraine conflict, the reality is that China is now a “decisive someone who makes something possibleof the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, as stated in the declaration of the last North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Washington, DC.

To counter the immediate threat from Moscow, the United States must first and foremost take action urgently expedite military and economic assistance to Ukraine to defeat Russia and deter Russian aggression against other US allies. To prevent a future threat against Ukraine, we should accelerate Ukraine’s accession in NATO. The West must do the same double sanctions on Russiaso that Putin’s regime is deprived of the income necessary to wage war.

While Putin’s Russia poses an acute threat to the free world, China’s communist dictatorship is a generational challenge to the United States and to the US-led world order.

Like Chinese leader Xi Jinping said When the Chinese nation comes to power in 2012, “the Chinese nation will advance like a gigantic ship breaking through strong winds and heavy waves.” That gigantic ship inevitably bypasses the global interests of the US and especially those of our allies a free Taiwan.

The United States must prioritize the Chinese challenge. Like a boxer for a title fight, we must move forward with renewed unity of purpose and generational investment in our nation’s education, science and defense industrial base. We must compete with China’s geostrategic initiatives around the world, including through successful U.S. programs such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

And we must always lead based on our values freedom and democracy to confront Beijing and Moscow’s global authoritarian agenda.

Finally, respect human rights – for people within our borders, but also for those beyond – is what separates us from the Russian and Chinese regimes.