As more relatively weak countries find themselves unable to stay out of the war, China must walk a careful path. It must avoid and mitigate risks, safeguard its national interests and put Ukraine on the road to peace at an early date. To this end, it needs a more flexible and pragmatic strategy.

China and Russia’s maligned relationship looks on the surface to be a new axis of power against the U.S. - but by playing it safe, China seeks to reap the benefits of Russia’s favor without offending the West.

At the recent international security gathering, China made clear that it opposes military hegemony — where a superpower seeks to settle disputes by force. China, by contrast is working to bring the international community together to shape a new order that is more just and reasonable.

Even as the whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg of the Pentagon Papers passed away, his second secret remains hushed.

President Joe Biden has expressed optimism about the U.S.-China relationship. But regardless of whether his positive outlook is warranted, disengagement is “not the way out.” Washington and Beijing must find a new way to get along.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s outreach to the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, could be a game-changer. The call was welcomed by Zelenskyy, who called it “long and meaningful.” As Beijing steps into its role as a global peacemaker, the world is taking notice.

We live in a world where geopolitical stability relies largely on deterrence. But how can we prove that deterrence works?

The friendship between Russia and China may seem ideological on the surface, but it could significantly benefit the PRC in the event of more supply chain difficulties, or a military conflict with the United States. And though Xi Jinping is focused on self-sufficiency and dual circulation plans domestically, he still knows that China will always need to import certain goods and materials to operate its economy - and Russia and its controlled territories could supply those essential resources.

The deepened military relations between China and Russia was inevitable in response to challenges from the West. Conflict does not arise simply over current security considerations. It may be triggered by concerns over the changing international balance of power.

Interstate political relations are changing the dynamics of the international system. China’s relationship with Russia has become a tool for balancing the shifting pres-sures. But no country can predict the consequences of war. Staying out of it may be the best way to maximize gains.