The role of cooperation between Russia and China in the military sphere for strengthening the strategic partnership of the two countries

The article is dedicated to the study of the features of the strategic partnership between Russia and China in the military sphere. The aim of the proposed research is to determine the degree of maturity and development trajectory of the strategic cooperation between China and Russia in the military realm. The tasks of this work include examining the characteristics of the relativistic approach to military cooperation in bilateral relations, as well as an empirical analysis of military cooperation between Russia and China. The author categorizes interstate military relations into three degrees of maturity: low, medium, and high. Each degree of maturity corresponds to specific indicators of strategic partnership. Low maturity includes confidence-building measures and consultation mechanisms. Medium-level military partnership involves military-technical cooperation and regular military exercises, while high maturity cooperation includes joint military command, joint troop deployment, and a common defense policy. The methodological foundation of the research is the relativistic approach, which allows for examining the complex of Russian-Chinese relations in the military sphere within the framework of strategic partnership. Analyzing these criteria in the strategic partnership between Russia and China reveals that after the Cold War, the two countries established comprehensive military cooperation, with all aspects having developed over the past two decades. A comprehensive and multi-level mechanism for inter-military consultations has been implemented and institutionalized, taking into account international circumstances. Large-scale exchanges in the field of military-technical cooperation, including technology exchange, have increased the compatibility of the armed forces and defense-industrial complexes of both countries. In conclusion, the author notes that since the end of the Cold War, China and Russia have established extensive military cooperation, the various aspects of which have evolved over the last two decades. Overall, the military cooperation between Russia and China, occurring within the framework of strategic partnership, has begun to transition into an advanced stage of maturity.