Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin met in Moscow recently—a gathering that should trigger concern among the Western world. The two leaders are attempting to reset the global order with China and Russia at the helm, replacing U.S. leadership, which has largely remained in place since the end of World War II.
As Russia clashes with Ukraine and China threatens to invade Taiwan, it's critical the U.S. block this sinister alliance. In a perfect scenario, we could marshal military, economic, and geopolitical action to force a divorce. But at the very least, we can create significant friction.
The unjustified conflict in Ukraine has done a lot of the leg work to get the ball rolling. Countries ranging from traditionally neutral Sweden to rocky ally Turkey have come out against the aggression. It's a cause that has united the international community in ways not seen since countries rallied behind America following the Sept. 11 attacks.
While China's diplomatic language around the invasion itself has been nuanced, it's stance on friendship with Russia has been anything but. China's clear pro-Putin partisanship has caused U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken Xi's peacemaking rhetoric a "stalling tactic at best."
It's time to turn the heat up a notch. And as odd as it sounds, policies governing U.S. airways may provide us an opening to do just that.
Following the West's opposition to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin exiled U.S. commercial airlines and a handful of other carriers from Russian airspace. For airline companies, the move caused a huge headache. The country is 6.6 million square miles and provides efficient routes to many global destinations.
Because of the ban, U.S. airlines can't take their usual routes through the arctic to access destinations on the other side of the world—notably in Asia. According to one estimate, a collective 400 flights each month are being forced to take far less efficient alternative routes.
Airlines associated with countries that haven't condemned Russia's lethal aggression in Ukraine have avoided this complex game of Twister in the skies—notably Chinese airlines that are under the thumb of the Chinese Communist Party.
Chinese airlines represent a badge of honor for Beijing. As part of the "Made in China" plan—a government blueprint for expanding the country's economic prowess—the aerospace industry is third on its list of nine priorities. And it seems to be working. Prior to the pandemic, the sector had experienced huge growth, expanding by 75 percent to more than $150 billion in just five years.
Here lies the wedge opportunity. The Biden administration can pressure Chinese airlines to abide by the same rules regarding Russian airspace, at the penalty of not being granted access to U.S. airports.
It's a path the Biden administration and members of Congress are openly considering. The Transportation Department recently crafted an order that would bar Chinese airlines carrying American passengers from traversing Russian airspace before landing in the United States.
The move will force China into a lose-lose scenario—either publicly snubbing Russia, or crippling their airline industry by limiting access to the U.S. As an added benefit, the strategy will pressure other international airlines that haven't been subject to the Russian ban—including Air India and Emirates—to take a side.
The Biden administration should take advantage of every opportunity to chip away at the Chinese-Russian partnership. This is one of them.
Will Coggin is the managing director of the American Security Institute.'
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
