A top Russian senator has pledged his country's support if China goes to war over Taiwan, sparking fears of a massive escalation and World War 3.
Vladimir Dzhabarov said he sees "no grounds to refuse to help China," as tensions in the region have risen after the visit of US Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
In his role as first deputy chairman of the international committee in Russia ’s Federation Council, he said he hopes help for China would be "a two-way movement" as Russia continues its war in Ukraine.
"It means that we should have some benefits from this cooperation," he added. "I am convinced that in this case China hopes for a certain assistance from Russia."
Alluding to the possibility of a Chinese confrontation with the US, the Putin ally insisted China was behaving in a "restrained manner" and that he is convinced it will be difficult for them to go toe-to-toe with the US without support from Russia.
Tensions over Taiwan have risen in recent days and reports show that live-fire drills by the Chinese military were taking place a mere 12 nautical miles from the disputed island.
Russian support for China may alarm some in the West and the US after President Joe Biden recently changed the country's policy of "strategic ambiguity", in response to a potential military attack on the island, to confirm the US would step in some capacity.
The ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) views reunification with Taiwan as a key part of China's national identity and has not ruled out using military force to get it back.
Chinese state media, meanwhile, called Pelosi's visit an "opening salvo of war."
Representing the US Congress, which is known to have widespread support for Taiwan, she said: "We will not abandon our commitment to Taiwan and we are proud of our enduring friendship."
After meeting with Taiwan’s president Tsai Ing-wen, Pelosi added: "It's really important for the message to be clear .. [the US] is committed to the security of Taiwan ... but it’s about our shared values of democracy and freedom and how Taiwan has been an example to the world.
"Whether there are insecurities of the president of China relating to his own political situation I don’t know."
The island, which brands itself the Republic of China (ROC), is where the nationalist party fled to after the CCP took control in 1949 following a civil war.
Away from the authoritarian communist rule on the mainland, Taiwan is now a self-governed democracy with a military of its own after years of reform and an economic boom.
While only a handful of countries formally recognise it, to do so would mean breaking diplomatic ties with China, most Western countries have unofficial and informal relations with it.
