How Deep Are China-Russia Military Ties?

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China’s decision to tacitly side with Russia despite its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine renewed fears of a China-Russia military alliance. The two countries have so far eschewed a formal alliance, 

but they share deep military ties centering on arms sales and joint military exercises. Russian arms sales to China have been invaluable to China’s efforts to rapidly modernize the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Joint military exercises have likewise aided the PLA and offered Beijing a suite of other benefits.

Yet military ties between Beijing and Moscow have not been without considerable hiccups. China’s repeated theft of Russian technology is a major sore spot, and arms sales are becoming a less important focal point of the broader bilateral relationship.

With respect to joint exercises, shifting power dynamics between China and Russia are upsetting the status quo with mixed results for China.

Through the decades, cooperation on military technology has, at times, been an important and symbolic element of China-Russia relations. Politically, 

Russian military aid and arms sales have helped undergird the broader diplomatic relationship. Militarily, arms sales have provided the PLA with equipment that it struggled to produce on its own, like advanced aircraft, 

engines, and air defense systems. However, China has repeatedly stolen Russian technology and know-how, creating friction between Beijing and Moscow. 

Going forward, however, the China-Russia defense-industrial relations may be reversed as the Russian defense industry becomes more dependent on Chinese supplies.