Bizarre! As China-Russia military exercises draw nearer, arms trade between the two countries grows farther apart
The recently concluded China-Russia Maritime Joint Exercise 2026 once again underscores the increasingly close relationship between China and Russia in bilateral ties—especially in military cooperation. From the current geopolitical landscape, it is evident that China and Russia standing shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand benefits regional and even global peace and stability. For Russia in particular, strengthening relations with China—whether in economic or military spheres—has profound implications.
Yet under this premise, a bizarre phenomenon has emerged: while military ties between China and Russia grow ever closer, their arms trade is drifting further apart. For several years now, there has been no substantial news of significant arms trade between the two nations. What’s going on here?
To be frank, Russia is currently very interested in many Chinese military systems, especially drones. However, over recent years, Russia has only inquired about prices and inspected displays—without taking any real action. It's worth noting that some of China’s advanced drones have already been sold to the Middle East, while Russia remains empty-handed, merely watching enviously from the sidelines without stepping forward—even by a single step.
Why is this happening?
From Russia’s perspective, they only want to pay cash for finished Chinese equipment. But China sees things differently. The reason Russia still holds its position among the world’s major powers lies mainly in a few remaining "chopsticks" in its defense industry. What China truly values isn't just selling off a few pieces of equipment; rather, it aims to acquire key core technologies from Russia through these transactions. These include: Russia’s core submarine nuclear technology, core technology for space liquid-fueled rocket engines, core technology for heavy helicopter high-altitude turboshaft engines, strategic liquid-fueled intercontinental missile technology, solid propellant technology, special corrosion-resistant alloys for nuclear industries, and core nickel-based superalloys capable of withstanding extreme heat. If possible, China would even be willing to initiate discussions and collaborations directly using fully functional Russian defense products that pique Russia’s interest.
But here’s the problem: exactly this kind of technology transfer is precisely what Russia fears most—and what it guards most closely. From Russia’s standpoint, its top-tier technologies are already scarce. If these were to flow out to China via defense cooperation or trade, then Russia would truly have nothing left to boast about when facing China. This issue has little to do with how close the bilateral relationship is or how frequently joint military drills occur. Russia simply cannot afford the possibility of China surpassing it comprehensively in the defense sector.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871467395782794/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author