China says it’s open to more military cooperation with Russia

Beijing’s defence ministry says it is willing to take part in more joint drills and patrols as well as working to promote global peace
Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirms the country’s ties with Moscow in his recent visit, but also offers to help bring an end to the war in Ukraine

China’s military

Cyril Ip

Published: 11:18pm, 30 Mar 2023

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Corrected [4:12pm, 6 Apr, 2023]

[4:12pm, 6 Apr, 2023]
An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the amount of Nato military support for Ukraine.

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The Chinese military is willing to boost cooperation with Russia, including more joint drills and air and sea patrols, the defence ministry said on Thursday.

The two countries would work together to build trust between their militaries, safeguard international fairness and justice, as well as implement the Global Security Initiative, a Chinese project to promote peace, Tan Kefei, a defence ministry spokesman, told a regular press briefing.

03:41

Xi and Putin deepen China-Russia partnership in Moscow talks, but no Ukraine peace deal details

“The Chinese military is willing to work together with the Russian military to fully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, further strengthening strategic communication and coordination,” Tan said, referring to the recent meeting in Moscow between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Earlier this month China, Russia and Iran held a five-day exercise in the Gulf of Oman, which Tan described as “enhancing the capabilities of the three countries to jointly carry out diversified maritime military missions, further deepening traditional friendship and practical cooperation, and contributing positively to maintaining maritime security”.

The exercise featured 12 ships from the three countries, with China – which has had a limited naval presence in the region until now – sending the advanced guided-missile destroyer Nanning.

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Tan said China and Russia’s relationship was not like the alliances of the Cold War, because it was based on the principles of non-confrontation and did not target third parties.

A joint statement signed by Xi and Putin last week called for a resolution to the war in Ukraine and included a commitment by Russia to restart peace talks.

A report from state news agency Xinhua said “Russia welcomed China’s willingness to play a positive role in resolving the Ukraine crisis through political and diplomatic means”.

More recently China repeated its call for a peaceful resolution to the conflict after Russia said it would station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus – an announcement made days after a joint statement between Moscow and Beijing opposing nuclear weapons being stationed in other countries.

Since Russia invaded its neighbour in February last year, Nato members have committed over €150 billion (US$163 billion) in aid to Ukraine, including €65 billion in military support, according to Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg.

Before Xi’s trip the United States warned Beijing not to provide Russia with military support and no such commitment was made during the visit.

Xi and Putin solidify their nations’ ‘strategic partnership and coordination’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently suggested Putin had received no guarantees of support from China, telling Associated Press that the outcome of the visit “was not good for Russia”.

Zelensky also said he wanted Xi to visit Ukraine, saying: “I want to speak with him. I had contact with him before full-scale war. But during all this year, more than one year, I didn’t have [any].”