At a recent international security forum, experts warned that China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, collectively known as “CRINKs,” have formed a formidable authoritarian alliance against the West. China, in particular, has emerged as a significant threat, challenging U.S.-led democracies across diverse arenas in the Indo-Pacific theatre.
During a panel titled “Victory in Ukraine = Message to the CRINKs,” Josh Rogin, a columnist with The Washington Post, stated that Iran is supplying arms to Russia and the terrorist group Hamas in Gaza. North Korea is exporting weapons to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine, while Russia and China are collaborating to assist Hamas diplomatically. Additionally, China is aiding Russia and Iran in evading Western sanctions and sustaining their aggressive actions.
Vincent Chao, director and spokesperson for Taiwan’s governing Democratic Progressive Party, warned of the potential consequences if Russia triumphed over Ukraine. He emphasized that a Russian victory would send a powerful message to other authoritarian regimes worldwide, emboldening them in the face of democracy’s decline. Chao also highlighted that a Russian triumph would amplify the ambition of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to forcibly bring Taiwan under its control.
The implications of the Ukrainian War for the CCP’s global ambition was echoed by UK-based Nathan Law, a former Hong Kong politician currently in exile for his outspoken opposition to the Beijing regime. Law noted that Chinese leader Xi Jinping “wants a prolonged Ukraine war,” as it diverts the world’s attention away from China. He also stated that if Russia succeeds in annexing Ukraine, it could provide Beijing with leverage to persuade other authoritarian states to collaborate.
Over the past two years, Beijing has escalated its threats against Taiwan, employing military aircraft deployment, economic coercion, and various forms of disinformation. U.S. Army General Charles Flynn and General Wayne Eyre, Canada’s chief of the defence staff, emphasized the potential Pacific war while regional conflicts in Europe and the Middle East rage on. They voiced concerns about the challenge to territorial sovereignty and the need to stand up against aggression that threatens the international order.