China-Russia military ties advance with significant progress in high-level exchanges and joint military exercises: China's CMC vice chairman

Zhang Shengmin, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) met with visiting Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Tuesday, China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on Tuesday. Zhang said that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Russia relations have entered a new stage of more substantive engagement and faster development, playing a constructive role in maintaining global strategic stability and improving global governance. Zhang said that China-Russia military ties have in recent years advanced alongside broader bilateral relations, with significant progress in high-level exchanges and joint military exercises and training. China stands ready to work with Russia to fully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, keep strengthening strategic communication, enhance mutual trust in the military field, improve cooperation mechanisms, and explore new areas of cooperation that reflect the characteristics of the times, in a bid to safeguard their respective sovereignty, security and development interests and uphold global and regional stability. Belousov said that, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination in the new era has continued to deepen and reached an unprecedentedly high level, which is of vital importance to peace, stability and prosperity in both countries and the world, according to the MND. At present, the international security situation, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, is complex and volatile. Russia appreciates and supports China’s active role in major international and regional affairs. Russia is willing to continue close coordination with China, strengthen strategic consultations, firmly support each other, expand practical cooperation in areas such as military education and scientific and technological innovation, and achieve further progress in relations between the two countries and their armed forces, Belousov said. The “Joint Sea-2026” exercise between China and Russia concluded at a military port in Qingdao in East China’s Shandong Province on July 13. Launched on July 6 the joint exercise is the 12th in the series dating back to 2012. The joint naval exercises have become a key platform for China-Russia naval cooperation, strengthening their capabilities for combined maritime operations. Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday that China and Russia maintain extensive military cooperation, spanning joint exercises and training, naval and air force exchanges, and counterterrorism efforts under the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) framework, reflecting the high level of ties between their armed forces. The new areas of China-Russia cooperation that reflect the characteristics of the times include opposing hegemony and power politics, as well as upholding a multipolar world order, Song said. Song added that China and Russia share broad common ground in opposing hegemony and power politics and upholding the post-World War II international order, making their cooperation important for regional and global peace.