Russia, China sign roadmap for closer military cooperation amid soaring tensions with US

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Tuesday confirmed that Moscow and Beijing have been strengthening their joint military training activities at sea, in the air, and on land this year. The statement comes as both the nations have signed a road map for closer military ties. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Shoigu and his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe held a meeting via video conference wherein they expressed a shared desire to increase strategic military exercises and joint patrols between Russia and China. According to ANI, Shoigu asserted that China and Russia had been strategic allies for many years.

"Our armed forces interact on land, at sea and in the air. The number of operational and combat training events is growing," Shoigu was quoted as saying after the meeting in a statement from his ministry, ANI reported.

"Today, with increased geopolitical turmoil and war potential in numerous regions of the world, the evolution of our contact is particularly important," he added.

According to AP, Shoigu cited increased activity by US strategic bombers near Russian borders, claiming 30 such operations in the last month alone. During the US Global Thunder strategic force exercise this month, ten strategic bombers practised using nuclear weapons against Russia nearly simultaneously from the western and eastern directions, according to Shoigu, who added that they came as close to the Russian border as 20 kilometres, reportedly.

Russia and China boosting ties amid tensions with the US

Chinese Defence Minister Wei congratulated Russia for effectively fending off what he called US military threats and coercion, according to the media agency. Shoigu and Wei applauded a series of operations involving Russian and Chinese jets and naval ships, and they signed a military cooperation agreement for the years 2021-2025. It is to mention that Shoigu visited China in August to participate in joint military activities, marking the first time Russian troops have participated in manoeuvres on Chinese soil. They were the most recent in a series of war activities held in recent years to highlight the growing military ties between Moscow and Beijing. 

As both Moscow and Beijing face challenges with the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping forged strong personal ties in order to strengthen a strategic collaboration between the former Communist adversaries. As relations with the US and its allies dropped to post-Cold War lows over Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula, charges of Russian hacking attacks, election involvement, and other disagreements, Moscow tried to strengthen ties with Beijing. Despite the fact that Russia and China have previously rejected the idea of forming a military alliance, Putin stated last year that such a possibility "cannot be ruled out". He also mentioned that Russia has been exchanging highly sensitive military technologies with China, which has aided China's defence strength tremendously.

(With inputs from agencies)

(Image: AP)