Russia and China Are Secretly Expanding Military Cooperation, Der Spiegel Found

Journalists from Russia, France, and Germany say the real scale of Moscow and Beijing’s military partnership is far broader than is generally believed. According to them, the newsroom obtained internal presentations, working-group documents, and lists of participants in joint projects.

One of the key venues for cooperation, the report says, has been closed meetings of a Russian-Chinese military forum that have been held for several years. Journalists describe their main goal as finding ways to weaken the US military advantage. The partnership itself, Der Spiegel says, is built on a shared anti-American approach.

Russia and China are forming a model of cooperation in which Moscow shares experience gained during the war against Ukraine, while Beijing provides electronics, semiconductors, and equipment. Der Spiegel says Russian know-how could be used by China in a possible conflict over Taiwan, while Chinese developments could be used by Russia on the Ukrainian front.

A separate track involves countering Starlink, which Moscow and Beijing regard as a serious military threat. The investigation says the sides are discussing measures up to and including the destruction of satellites.

Chinese specialists are studying how the American satellite system could affect a possible conflict over Taiwan. In one 2023 presentation, they proposed creating a Russian-Chinese “anti-Starlink alliance.” Possible measures included jamming communications, slowing the system’s operation, and destroying satellites in orbit.

Der Spiegel notes that such cooperation between Russia and China is causing growing concern in Europe, including in Germany, which is now trying to become one of the centers of the European Union’s defense efforts.