China and Russia hold missile defence talks, Moscow reveals as the countries face growing rivalry with US

A joint statement signed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in March stated that both countries “expressed concern over the United States’ acceleration of the construction of the global anti-missile system and deployment of anti-missile systems around the world”.

Since 2016, Beijing and Moscow have conducted several rounds of computer-simulated anti-missile drills, which China’s defence ministry said “achieved new breakthroughs” in anti-missile cooperation.

Wu Riqiang, a professor at Renmin University in Beijing, said though the statement revealed few details, the consultations probably focused on their opposition to US missile defence systems, which pose a threat to both countries, giving the talks more political than military significance.

“In my own view, the consultations this time were a matter of opposing unlimited US missile defence construction, which China and Russia believe will weaken their ability to conduct second strikes and undermine strategic stability,” Wu said.