Russia and China expand military-technical cooperation

Chinese comrades arrive in Russia to master the skills of managing the most advanced types of domestic weapons. As it became known, this year, a hundred PLA troops will undergo a four-month training course on the systems of the second regiment complex of the S-400 Triumph air defense system, which is preparing for the transfer of the Celestial Empire. What, what, and the Chinese know how to learn new things - proved by numerous examples. So the most advanced missile defense systems today will be in good hands. And this is just one of the small parts of the recent “mosaic” that, when examined as a whole, leads NATO senior officials to extremely unpleasant thoughts.





The name of this nightmare, the reality of which the military analysts of the Western world, and, above all, its "flagship" - the United States of America, began to realize only now: the rapprochement of Moscow and Beijing in the military field. Contrary to the expectations of Western “well-wishers,” it is increasingly reminiscent not of a fleeting and short-term situational alliance, but of in-depth cooperation, developing into a full-fledged military fraternity. In fact, some in the North Atlantic bloc were struck by a cold sweat last year, when three and a half thousand Chinese troops with a substantial amount equipment took part in the largest exercises of the Armed Forces of Russia "East-2018". The Ministry of Defense of the Celestial Empire explicitly stated that the purpose of this participation was to further strengthen cooperation between the two armies at a strategic level, contributing to "their joint response to various threats to the security of the region."

If Russia and China embark on a “joint response” to the actions of any adversary in the event of a real armed conflict, even the United States with all its aircraft carriers and attack fighters will have to be salty and sour. Forgive me, the small fry that exist in the Far East, like the South Korean allies and stubbornly not wanting to go to “world” Japan with us, can’t even speak - these combined Russian-Chinese armada can simply “crush the masses”. Even without the latest high-tech weapons that are now advancing to the troops of both countries. Let's not forget - even if we agree with the fact that in all the ratings of the strongest armies in the world today the United States occupies the first line (which is rather controversial), then the second and third positions are invariably held by Russia and China. In fact, no one on the planet can resist their military alliance! Here Washington and its allies, as the classic wrote, “have something to despair from.”

For decades, one of the main geopolitical tasks of the West has been to pit Moscow and Beijing, creating maximum tension between them. The cherished dream of NATO general staffers has always been Chinese divisions breaking out into the operational expanses of the Russian Far East and Siberia, and moving, sweeping away everything in its path, at least to the Ural Range. The worst thing is that at certain historical moments, these vile plans were not so far from implementation. I don’t know how many whiskeys were consumed in the White House, the State Department and the CIA during the demolition of the mediocre Khrushchev by the Soviet-Chinese friendship built by Stalin. At that moment, when it came to volleys of “Gradov” on Damansky, I drank, I think, to the position of the robe. It happened! The Bear and the Dragon clung to each other's throats - now they’ll surely self-destruct, saving us from an eternal headache! Fortunately, it did not work out. The relationship between Moscow and Beijing has suffered enormous damage, several decades of cooperation, which could be extremely useful for both countries, have been lost. Naturally, Washington and its satellites won.

However, further “winners” made an unforgivable (especially in military affairs) mistake. Russia was declared the “gas station country”, which was about to fall apart, while China was looked down upon as a “world workshop” for stamping cheap consumer goods. The power of two world powers, forging and growing literally under his nose, the West, who imagined too much about itself, simply slammed. Now, according to the well-known formula, “Borjomi” is too late to drink, and neither Moscow nor Beijing intend to give any reason to open champagne to their geopolitical opponents. Our countries, without too much haste and fuss, are carrying out a systematic rapprochement in the military field, concerning not only technical cooperation, but also a much wider range of issues.

Deliveries of Russian military equipment to China - the same Su-35S or S-400 Triumph air defense systems, this is only one side of the coin. Given the frantic pace of technological development of the Celestial Empire, the need for arms purchases abroad from it may disappear in the very near future. That is why our country should reorient itself from purely export operations to joint development and introduction of the latest weapons with Beijing. In the end, it is necessary for someone to replace the "fraternal" Ukraine with its rocket and aircraft engines, as well as many other components important for the domestic military-industrial complex. So why not China? It is clear that in the field of the military-industrial complex it is best to develop and produce everything independently, up to the last screw. However, modern realities dictate the movement towards scientific and technical cooperation. To do this with the Chinese comrades is far from the worst option.

What is the interest of the Chinese? Far not only in our missile defense systems, they are not yet able to create a likeness of which they (like nobody else in the world). PLA, unlike the Russian army, in fact, for more than 40 years has not waged real military operations - especially, large-scale ones and in territories remote from China. That is why the experience of the Russian Armed Forces, which went through both local armed conflicts and the war in Syria, is simply invaluable to the Chinese comrades in uniform. In the course of the same “East-2018” they worked with great zeal to deploy their forces at a level not lower than the brigade outside their own territory. And with the involvement of both special forces and the navy in coordination with military aircraft. All this together is called: “the actions of the expeditionary force” and is clearly honed by the PLA not for parades, but with views on practical applications. Given the territorial disputes between China and Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, the assumptions are quite clear. However, for this, let the head of the Allies of Washington hurt ...

Of course, to call relations between Beijing and Moscow, including in the field of military cooperation, cloudless and unclouded by anything, would be the limit of naivety. Yes, and just not true. Take, for example, the aspect of Russian arms supplies to Vietnam or India, with which China has rather tense relations. Moreover, Beijing generally considers Delhi to be its main and most dangerous rival in the region. And the abundance of cruise missiles, including those with nuclear warheads located on our eastern borders, cannot please and reassure. The Celestial Empire is absolutely unequivocally leading its game, putting at the forefront exclusively its own geopolitical interests - and they have it where they are as vast and comprehensive. Incidentally, this fully confirms the position that China took on the gap between the US and Russia of the INF Treaty - the Americans condemned the Americans, but answered any attempts to talk about a new treaty with the indispensable participation of the Chinese side with a decisive and implacable refusal: “Your agreement, you yourself and understand! "

On the other hand, Beijing, in any case, today, does not demonstrate that painful craving for sole domination on the planet - both political and economic, and military, which Washington has suffered almost from the beginning of time, and which it does not intend to abandon. Sino-US confrontation is not so pronounced political the intensity, as in the case of a US conflict with our country, however, it is perhaps even more implacable. The United States wants from Russia, first of all, the cessation of independent foreign policy. Claims to China are much deeper - for it, for the world with the Americans, it is required, in fact, to stop its development, and not only economic, but also, first of all, scientific and technological.

China, like Russia, is officially declared by the United States the main threats to national security and the country's vital interests. Such definitions, made in Washington, usually do not end in anything good - it is not for nothing that Beijing this year raises its own defense budget by 7,5% to $ 177 billion. And this is despite a slight slowdown in the country's economy and the “trade wars” with the Americans that do not contribute to its prosperity. Or - just because of them ?! One way or another, but in the current geopolitical situation in Russia, a military-political alliance with China is undoubtedly beneficial. Bilateral agreements on collective defense do not exist - for now ... Nevertheless, the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed in 2001 has rather vague wording in some parts, which, if correctly interpreted, can be used to organize a friendly rebuff to a common enemy. In particular, article 9 of this document says that in the event of a threat, or even more aggression, which one of the countries has suffered, the parties immediately come into interaction to work out measures to jointly eliminate the threat that has arisen.

It would be better, of course, for things to not come to such critical situations at all. However, one cannot fail to admit that even the prospect of a military partnership between Russia and China, which is being talked about in the West with poorly concealed fear, is itself a very serious deterrent that can cool many "hot heads".