Russia May Be Helping China Prepare for War Over Taiwan

Russia is likely assisting China in training its military personnel, as well as providing Beijing with intelligence and advanced military technology, which could give China an advantage in the event of a potential conflict over Taiwan, according to a report by the Economist (archived).

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since 2024, Chinese military personnel have been undergoing training in the use of drones and urban warfare at a Russian military training ground near Volgograd. This facility is regularly used by the Russian Federation’s 8th Army, which is one of Moscow’s key forces in the war against Ukraine on the eastern front.

For China, such cooperation helps compensate for its lack of modern combat experience. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has not participated in major armed conflicts since the brief border war with Vietnam in 1979, so Beijing is seeking to gain practical knowledge of modern methods of warfare.

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China has also gained broader access to Russian military technologies that the Kremlin had previously been reluctant to share. U.S. and European officials speculate that this involves, in particular, the development of Chinese air defense and missile defense systems, as well as assistance in building low-noise nuclear submarines.

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China is particularly interested in Russia’s experience in the Black Sea, where Moscow is countering Ukrainian maritime drones.

The West is also closely monitoring the two countries’ cooperation in the field of underwater technology. The head of U.S. Naval Intelligence, Rear Admiral Michael Brooks, stated that by 2035, China could have about 80 submarines, half of which will be nuclear-powered. According to him, new models may feature improvements in reactor design, sensor performance, weapons integration, and noise-reduction technologies.

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Archived