International security

Russia-China military ties ‘at all-time high,’ no threat to other states

Military cooperation between Russia and China poses no threat to other states, but is aimed instead at countering global threats and challenges, including international terrorism, according to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

“Bilateral military cooperation [between Moscow and Beijing] is not directed against other states, does not pose a threat to them, but contributes to peace and stability on the Eurasian continent and beyond,” Shoigu said at a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Chang Wanquan in Beijing on Wednesday. He is there for the 21st meeting of an intergovernmental commission on military and technical cooperation between the two states that will look into the fragile situations in Syria, Libya, and Iraq.

“The conflicts in Central and Eastern Asia don’t end, the wounds won’t heal, especially in Northern Africa and the Middle East. I certainly keep in mind the ongoing events in Syria, Iraq and Libya,” Sergei Shoigu said ahead of the meeting.

He also noted that cooperation between the two countries “is at an all-time high” and “continues to steadily expand each year.” It is especially apparent in the economic sphere. Last year, trade between China and Russia was about $68 billion while the projects for the next 4 years is $200 billion.