Russia and China too ill-matched for defence alliance

Significance

The growth of Russian-Chinese security and defence cooperation over recent years has led to talk of a formal military alliance, which President Vladimir Putin said in 2020 was "conceivable" but not a current goal.

Impacts

• Chinese participation in Russia’s Zapad-21 wargames this year would signal support (up to a point) for Moscow's confrontation with the West.
• Moscow is determined to keep arms talks with Washington strictly bilateral; Beijing does not want to join in anyway.
• Joint arms production would mark a qualitative leap in defence cooperation, but is some way off.