An “Axis of Evil” comprised of the top leaders of China, Russia, and Iran gathered at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, declaring their “highly consistent position” on global affairs and pledging to “firmly support each other.” Experts suggest that the free world will continue to contain this “Axis of Evil,” as their own regimes are unstable, with time on the side of justice.
The “Kazan Declaration” released during the BRICS summit on October 24, 2024, featured the theme of “strengthening multilateralism to promote just global development and security,” while criticizing Western sanctions imposed on Russia, Iran, and other summit attendees including Syria, and vowing to build their financial systems.
EU foreign affairs spokesperson Peter Stano criticized Putin for maliciously exploiting the BRICS summit for his political goals, urging summit participants to collectively demand an immediate halt to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
As the conflict in Ukraine reaches a critical juncture, China and Iran vocally attended the Kazan summit hosted by Russia. The close interaction among the leaders of the three countries during the summit raised concerns about further collusion to disrupt the global order.
While North Korea did not participate in the summit, it remains a steadfast ally of Russia, providing artillery and other weapons for Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and actively deploying troops to support Russia. South Korea, the United States, and NATO are concerned that this support may escalate the conflict in Ukraine and even trigger a third world war.
Su Ziyun, director of the Strategic and Resource Institute at the Taiwan Institute of National Defense and Security Studies, stated to Epoch Times that “the conflict in Ukraine is still a regional conflict and war, and currently, the probability of triggering a third world war is not high.”
On the day Xi Jinping attended the BRICS summit in Kazan (October 22), he met with Vladimir Putin. This marked their third meeting this year. Prior to Xi’s arrival, Putin sent Russian military aircraft to accompany Xi’s special plane as a gesture of high-level reception. Putin referred to Xi as a “dear friend,” while Xi responded with “dear old friend.”
Following the Xi-Putin meeting, a spokesperson for the Russian president revealed that the two leaders exchanged views on Ukraine and the overall international situation, stating that “the positions and attitudes of both sides are highly consistent regarding what is happening in the world.”
Russia, facing sanctions from the United States and its allies for invading Ukraine, has seen fierce resistance from the supported Ukraine, leading to a decline in Russia’s economic strength and international influence over the past two years. At the same time, China’s economy continues to stagnate, facing joint countermeasures from the U.S. and its allies, diminishing its influence on the international stage.
In light of these circumstances, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin reaffirmed the importance of their so-called “strategic partnership.” Putin stated that Russia and China will “further enhance coordination on all multilateral platforms.” In their meeting in May of this year, they referred to establishing a “new era” of partnership to counter the United States.
The conflict in Ukraine has brought an unprecedented crisis to the world, leading to new changes in the global landscape, as China, North Korea, Iran have supported Russia with economic, technological, military equipment, and troops. Interactions among the four countries have formed different alliances and quasi-alliances.
On the afternoon of October 23, Xi Jinping met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the Kazan summit and called Iran a country with “significant influence in the region and internationally,” a “good partner” of China. The Iranian president stated that China is its most important cooperation partner and expressed willingness for mutual support.
During a meeting at the Kazan summit, Putin stated that “Russia and Iran have positions on the global agenda that are close to identical or fully consistent.” The Iranian president mentioned that BRICS member countries need to “take collective action.”
Iran supports armed groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, and Israel recently carried out targeted killings of Hamas leaders, planning a severe crackdown on Iran, with limited approval from the United States. This has greatly intimidated Iran, making its situation even more challenging under U.S. and allied sanctions.
Richard Haass, honorary chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations, referred to China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran as the “new Gang of Four,” challenging the existing international order led by the United States. Rob Wittman, vice-chairman of the House Armed Services Committee in the United States, also warned that this new “Axis of Evil” maybe more threatening than the Axis group during World War II.
U.S. President Joe Biden has referred to Xi Jinping as a “dictator” and Putin as a “killer,” warning that democratic countries are facing challenges from dictatorial nations like China and Russia.
Su Ziyun mentioned that the primary reason these four countries could form an “Axis of Evil” is not only geopolitical factors but mainly ideological, causing them to “band together.” “These four countries all practice authoritarian politics and face democracies, so they need to unite and become strategic partners to support each other.”
Su Ziyun stated that their biggest destructive force to the world is not material, but psychological. Because “while this axis is opposing democratic systems, it is also creating another set of values,” which might lead to “some developing countries abandoning democracy and choosing authoritarianism.”
Following World War II, the Korean Peninsula was divided into North and South along the 38th parallel. In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea in an attempt to unify the peninsula, triggering the Korean War, lasting until 1953. China sent so-called “volunteer armies” to the Korean battlefield, providing massive military support to North Korea; the Soviet Union not only secretly engaged in air combat but also provided various weapons, equipment, technology, and international diplomatic support. The United Nations forces led by the United States intervened to support South Korea, ultimately halting the northward expansion of North Korea’s communist forces.
Today, the major players in the conflict have shifted from East Asia to Eastern Europe, sparking a new battle among “brothers.” North Korea, which was once supported with troops, is now supporting Russia economically, technologically, and diplomatically, while the United States, along with its allies, aids Ukraine, the victim of aggression in various ways.
This is a historical repetition, a cycle, with a dramatic transformation in time, location, and roles. However, the fundamental essence of the confrontation between the two major camps – communism, authoritarianism, and the free democratic world – seems unchanged.
The Korean War was the first hot war after World War II and marked the beginning of the Cold War era. Whether the current conflict in Ukraine will bring a “new Cold War,” escalate into a significant war, or even trigger World War III, is worth attention.
Meanwhile, cracks have begun to appear in the so-called “comprehensive strategic cooperation” among the regimes of the “Axis of Evil.”
During his meeting with Putin, Xi reiterated the two countries’ “comprehensive strategic cooperation,” while Putin emphasized their cooperation in finance, currency calculations, infrastructure construction, and other aspects. Observers note that although China and Russia are currently uniting against the West, with cooperation outweighing competition, China’s attitude towards Russia has become more cautious, indicating that the cooperation may no longer be “unlimited.”
In the past year, relations between North Korea and Russia have been increasingly close. A treaty signed by the two countries in June of this year labeled the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement states that when one party is attacked by armed forces from another country and is at war, the other party will immediately provide military assistance.
Kim Taewoo, former president of the Korea Institute for National Reunification and professor of the military department at Kyeongyang University, stated to the Epoch Times that Kim Jong-un is willing to alienate China in pursuit of receiving technical assistance from Russia to enhance its nuclear capability. Another aim is to “control the system domestically, create fear, and consolidate power.”
In response to North Korea’s support for Russia, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated in a press conference on October 24 that China “does not understand” the related situation of North Korea sending troops to assist Russia and hopes to “ease the situation” by resolving issues politically. This non-acknowledgment stance is seen as leaving room for maneuverability. The rapid enhancement of North Korea-Russia relations undoubtedly poses a potential threat to China, a situation that China would prefer to avoid.
External analysis suggests that cooperation among the “Axis of Evil” countries is driven by individual interests and involves many complex contradictions, making it unlikely to persist in the long run.
Su Ziyun believes that as a new U.S. administration takes office and with Japan’s new government elections, the world’s landscape will enter a new stage post-January next year. However, while tactics may be adjusted, the containment of the regimes of the “Axis of Evil” by the free world will not change. “The economic development of authoritarian countries like China will encounter bottlenecks, and if significant failures occur during this period, it may shake their regime.”