This article takes stock of all types of relationships that exist between two countries.
State relations: Countries form different relationships with other countries based on their own interests and positions in international relations. They must consider the international and domestic situations, politics, economy, military, science and technology, geography, etc. of both parties. factor. Relations between countries can rise or fall.
The relations between the two countries are divided into two categories: diplomatic relations and war relations.
Among them, diplomatic relations are divided into ambassadorial level, ministerial level and charge d’affaires level.
There are seven categories according to closeness: allies, traditional friendly cooperation, partnership, good neighborliness, simple diplomatic relations, hostility, and cold war.
1. Diplomatic relations
Diplomatic relations refer to the exchange of visits, negotiations, conclusion of treaties, mutual dispatch of permanent diplomatic missions, participation in international conferences and international organizations, etc. The relationship formed by communication.
(1) Classification according to diplomatic levels
1. Ambassador level: Formal diplomatic relations, the heads of state of both sides send ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary to each other, referred to as ambassadors. The ambassador is the first level of diplomatic envoy. He has the right to request an interview with the head of the host country, negotiate with senior officials of the host country, and enjoys full diplomatic privileges and immunities. His appointment requires the consent of the host country in advance.
In modern diplomatic practice, it is a common practice for countries to send ambassadorial-level diplomatic representatives to each other. When relations deteriorate, one country can expel the other party's ambassador or recall its own.
2. Minister level: Formal diplomatic relations. The heads of state of both sides send ministers with extraordinary and plenipotentiary powers to each other, referred to as ministers. Ministers are the second level of diplomatic envoys, and their courtesy is second only to ambassadors. However, their substantive status, duties, and diplomatic privileges and immunities they enjoy are the same as those of ambassadors. Their appointment requires the prior consent of the country where they are stationed.
After the Second World War, fewer and fewer diplomatic representatives were appointed at the level of Minister Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, and most countries upgraded ministers to ambassadors. At present, most of the diplomatic missions of various countries have the title of Minister, but it is different from the Minister Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary: the Minister in the embassy is a first-level diplomatic official second only to the Ambassador in the order of protocol in the diplomatic representative agency, and no prior consultation is required for appointment. Consent of the host country.
3. Charge d’affaires level: semi-diplomatic relations, in which the foreign ministers of both sides send charge d’affaires level diplomatic envoys to each other. The charge d'affaires is the lowest-level diplomatic representative and receives lower courtesy than ambassadors and ministers, but enjoys the same diplomatic privileges and immunities as ambassadors and ministers. Chargé d'affaires can only handle the most basic diplomatic affairs and provide necessary diplomatic services and consular protection to expatriates. The two countries usually maintain this relationship during the negotiation process for establishing diplomatic relations.
For example, on November 18, 2021, Lithuania allowed the Taiwan authorities to establish a "Taiwan Representative Office in Lithuania" despite China's solemn protests and repeated representations. Therefore, China decided to downgrade the diplomatic relations between the two countries to the level of charge d'affaires.
In addition to the above-mentioned diplomatic levels, there is also informal diplomacy in diplomatic relations: it means that two countries have not formally established diplomatic relations, but directly conduct diplomatic negotiations and set up some kind of liaison agency to maintain contact with each other.
(2) Classification according to the degree of closeness
Diplomatic relations can be divided into alliances/blood alliances, traditional friendly cooperation, partnerships, good-neighborly friendship, simple diplomatic relations, hostility, and cold war according to the degree of closeness.
1. Allies/blood alliances: Allies generally sign treaties with international legal significance, assume binding responsibilities, and cooperate toward certain goals. For example, the EU operates in accordance with the Lisbon Treaty; some countries are keen on forming alliances in diplomacy. For example, the United States is an ally with Saudi Arabia and is hostile to Iran.
Military alliance: Such as NATO. After World War II, the United States established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in order to contain the Soviet Union and maintain its dominant position in Europe. It was a symbol of the strategic alliance achieved by the capitalist camp in the military after World War II.
China has chosen the diplomatic strategy of partnership and non-alignment, uniting other countries to the greatest extent without making enemies for itself, which is conducive to creating a peaceful external environment. Before the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Korea, North Korea was the only country with which China had a blood alliance. However, due to the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Korea, the diplomatic level of China and North Korea was downgraded to a traditional friendly and cooperative relationship.
2. Traditional friendly and cooperative relations: unique to China, referring to the same socialist countries as China, such as North Korea.
3. Partnership: Unique to China, it means not opposing each other, adhering to the principle of "seeking common ground while reserving differences", not being bound by alliance treaties and obligations, and not attacking a specific third country. Establishing a partnership means that China and a certain country have reached a certain level of trust and have no fundamental differences on major issues (such as Tibet, Xinjiang, Taiwan, etc.). Countries or organizations that have partnerships with China are usually neighbors of China or have certain influence in the world.
Our country will add different modifiers before partnerships. The meanings of the modifiers are as follows:
“Strategic cooperation” is the highest level of cooperation, and “strategy” refers to the overall, overall, and In terms of core interests, countries are key to China's politics, security or special strategic resources. "Cooperation" refers to mutual policy coordination, mutual cooperation and mutual support.
"Strategic collaboration" means that in addition to the content of strategic cooperation, the two sides will also collaborate and assist each other in military and strategic technical aspects.
"Comprehensive" refers to consistency in all areas of international cooperation, including politics, economy, culture, military, etc.
"Comprehensive" refers to the many areas and wide scope of cooperation. It is a wider range of relationships and cooperation areas than "comprehensive".
"Cooperation" refers to mutual policy coordination, mutual cooperation, and mutual support. Cooperation without strategic modifiers mostly refers to economic cooperation, and "comprehensive cooperation" refers to comprehensive cooperation in all fields of the economy.
The lack of "cooperation" implies that these countries have differences or disagreements with China on strategic, political and diplomatic issues.
"Friendly" refers to good political relations between the two parties.
A "constructive" or "creative" partnership means that both parties are originally hostile camps, but hope to build a true partnership through cooperation and communication.
my country’s partnerships include:
(1) Comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era: Russia. "Strategic collaboration" is unique among China's foreign partnerships. In addition to strategic cooperation, the two countries also involve cooperation in core fields such as military affairs. They also coordinate positions and coordinate advances and retreats on international affairs. It is the highest level among all China’s foreign partnerships.
(2) All-weather strategic partnership: Pakistan. "All-weather" means that no matter at any time, the two sides have a close relationship in various international affairs such as politics, economy, and security, and it is also the highest-level partnership.
(3) Other bilateral partnerships: comprehensive strategic partnership, strategic cooperative partnership, comprehensive strategic partnership, all-round strategic partnership, innovative strategic partnership, friendly strategic partnership, and mutually beneficial strategic partnership relationship, strategic partnership, innovative comprehensive partnership, new type of partnership, friendly partnership, comprehensive friendly partnership, all-round friendly partnership, all-round cooperative partnership, comprehensive cooperative partnership.
(4) Multilateral partnership: Comprehensive strategic partnership: EU, ASEAN; Comprehensive strategic partnership: African Union.
(5) Bilateral cooperative relationship (non-partner): comprehensive strategic cooperative relationship, strategic cooperative relationship, constructive partnership, and friendly cooperative relationship.
(6) Other relations (non-partners): Building a new type of major power relationship: the United States; strategic mutually beneficial relationship: Japan.
4. Good-neighborliness and friendship: Unique to China, it refers to the fact that China has signed treaties of good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation with many neighboring countries, and adheres to the principle of "befriending and partnering with its neighbors" to develop "good-neighborliness and security" "Prosperous Neighbors" friendly diplomatic relations.
5. Simply establishing diplomatic relations: countries other than the above-mentioned relations that have established diplomatic relations.
6. Hostility: The two countries have major differences on key issues, are in a state of hostility, and may have armed conflicts, such as the United States and Iran, Russia and Ukraine.
7. Cold War: refers specifically to the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. From 1947 to 1991, the politics and politics between the capitalist camp dominated by the United States and NATO and the socialist camp dominated by the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact Economic and military struggles.
It should be noted that the more distant the diplomatic relationship, the lower the diplomatic level: from before World War II to the end of the Cold War, although the United States and the Soviet Union were in a Cold War state, they always maintained the highest diplomatic level of ambassadorial diplomacy. relation.
2. War relations
Two countries are in a state of war, which usually refers to a war when one or both parties declare war, or one party (without declaring war) uses force and the other party confirms it as an act of war. The state begins to exist.
The state of war is the legal state of relations between the belligerents from the beginning to the official end of the war. Mere military acts of armed conflict do not create a legal state of war.
War is the most intense form of relationship between countries, and most countries will not start a war unless absolutely necessary. Even during the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union did not fight head-on. The Cuban Missile Crisis, the most serious head-on confrontation during the Cold War, was eventually resolved peacefully.
(1) The war begins
Once the belligerent countries enter a state of war, the relationship between them will change from a peaceful relationship to a war relationship. Wartime international law, including the law of neutrality, will begin to apply, and thus It produces a series of legal consequences, such as the general severance of diplomatic and consular relations between belligerents, the people and property of the belligerents are affected, and the treaty relations between the belligerents are affected to varying degrees.
As soon as the war began, the diplomatic relations between the warring countries were terminated. The ambassadors or ministers sent to the warring countries immediately collected their passports from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the host country and led their officials back home.
It is worth noting: Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Russia has not officially declared war on Ukraine, but launched an attack in the name of a "special military operation". As the defender, Ukraine announced that it had severed diplomatic relations with Russia. But there was no official declaration of war. Because according to the Hague Convention, if a country officially declares war, other countries need to clarify whether they are neutral countries: neutral countries cannot provide assistance, and non-neutral countries will be involved in the war. Therefore, the nature of the Russia-Ukraine conflict is an armed conflict rather than a war.
(2) War restrictions
In order to limit the barbarity and cruelty of war, countries around the world have signed a series of modern war regulations to restrict behaviors in war: such as killing civilians , abusing prisoners of war, releasing poison gas, and sinking merchandise without regard for the safety of crew members are all violations of the laws of war.
The conventions on the laws of war include: the Paris Declaration of 1856, the Geneva Convention of 1864, the St. Petersburg Declaration of 1868, the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907, the 1925 Geneva Protocol on Poison Gas and Bacteriological Warfare, the 1936 the Submarine Regulations Protocol of 2016, and the 1949-4 Geneva Red Cross Conventions.
The disposal of enemy property in war varies depending on whether the enemy property belongs to the state or private individuals. The enemy's property within the territory of the belligerent country, if it is public property or immovable property (except for embassies and consulates), can be confiscated and used, but cannot be sold; movable property can be confiscated; as for the property of the enemy's people, in principle, it will not be infringed, but it can be restricted. (e.g. transfer, freezing or expropriation prohibited).
The enemy's movable property in the enemy's territory occupied by the national army may be requisitioned and the enemy's immovable property in the enemy's territory may be used, except for those engaged in detection research and for religious, scientific, charitable or hospital purposes. . Private property in the occupied areas shall not be plundered or confiscated, unless it can be used directly for war.
(3) End of war
A state of war is usually ended by the conclusion of a peace treaty between the belligerents, or by a unilateral declaration by the victorious country or a joint statement with the defeated country.
Humanity is in a period of great development, great change, and great adjustment. The world is becoming multi-polar and economic globalization is developing in depth. Social informatization and cultural diversification are continuing to advance. A new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial revolution are growing. Countries are interconnected and interdependent, and the destiny of the world is closely related to the world.