Russian President Vladimir Putin called the arguments that China will try to dominate Russia no less than the United States scary stories.
"We are well aware of these horror stories. It's a horror story. We are neighbors with China. Neighbors, as well as close relatives, are not chosen. We share a border of thousands of kilometers with them," Putin said in an interview with Tucker Carlson, founder of the Tucker Carlson Network video platform.
This is how the Russian leader answered the question of whether he was afraid of possible domination by China. According to Putin, China's foreign policy philosophy is non-aggressive, and its foreign policy thought is always looking for a compromise.
"The growth rate of China's cooperation with Europe is greater and higher than the growth rate of cooperation with China of the Russian Federation. Ask the Europeans: are they not afraid? Maybe they are afraid, I don't know, but they are trying to get into the Chinese market at all costs, especially when they are now facing problems in the economy. And Chinese enterprises are exploring the European market," the Russian president said.
"Isn't there a little Chinese business in the United States? Yes, the political decisions are such that they are trying to limit cooperation with China," he added.
According to Putin, the United States is harming itself by limiting cooperation with China.
"This is a delicate area, and there are no simple linear solutions here, just like with the dollar. Therefore, before imposing any illegitimate sanctions - illegitimate from the point of view of the Charter of the United Nations - it is necessary to think carefully. In my opinion, those who make decisions have problems with this," the Russian leader concluded.
