China has declared its intent to expand military cooperation with Russia, days after President Xi Jinping’s high-profile visit to Moscow for Russia’s World War II Victory Day parade. The move underscores the strengthening relationship between the two powers amid ongoing tensions with the West over the war in Ukraine.
In a statement released Thursday on social media platform WeChat, Chinese defense ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin described China-Russia military relations as “operating at a high level.” He emphasized Beijing’s readiness to enhance strategic trust and practical collaboration with Moscow, stating, “The Chinese military stands ready to work with the Russian side to further deepen strategic mutual trust, step up strategic communication, and expand practical cooperation.”
Jiang noted that the goal of this cooperation is to “enrich the content of China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era” and contribute to “global strategic stability.”
President Xi’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin included attendance at a lavish military parade, a gesture widely interpreted by Western nations as a sign of China’s ongoing support for Moscow. While critics accuse China of providing political and economic backing to Russia during its invasion of Ukraine, Beijing continues to assert its neutrality, claiming it promotes dialogue and peace.
After the summit, Xi praised the China-Russia partnership as a force of “positive energy” in an increasingly unstable world, condemning what he called “hegemonic bullying” — a thinly veiled jab at the United States. Putin, in turn, called their talks “warm and friendly,” referring to Xi as his “dear friend.”
The deepening military alignment between China and Russia has raised new alarms among Western powers, who view the growing cooperation as a potential challenge to the existing global balance of power.
