TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Russia has agreed to provide equipment and training to China’s military, boosting Beijing’s airborne assault capabilities and raising concerns over a potential attack on Taiwan, according to a report from the Royal United Services Institute, the Washington Post reported.
The agreement between China and Russia in October 2024 includes delivering vehicles and systems for a Chinese airborne battalion. Russia will provide BMD-4M light amphibious vehicles, Sprut-SDM1 self-propelled anti-tank guns, BTR-MDM armored personnel carriers, and parachute systems designed for high-altitude airdrops.
Chinese planners view small, well-equipped units delivered by helicopter or aircraft as critical for deploying thousands of troops in the initial hours of a conflict, according to Brown University's Lyle Goldstein in the Post article.
Jack Watling, a senior research fellow at RUSI, called it “a very good example of how the Russians have become an enabler for the Chinese.” He added that in a conflict, Russia’s resources and defense industry could serve as “strategic backup for China.”
Documents obtained by the hacker group Black Moon, show that China requested faster delivery, full technical documentation, and adaptations to integrate the vehicles with Chinese systems. The main contract was valued at NT$17.8 billion (US$584 million) and included command and observation vehicles as well.
China’s past limitations in deploying large numbers of troops and sustaining logistics were considered weaknesses,” said Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), director at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research. With Russian technical support, she warned, Taiwan’s defenses against amphibious landings would face significantly greater pressure.
China expects to operate in a contested environment where its systems could face jamming and cyberattacks, Joshua Arostegui, chair of the China Landpower Studies Center at the US Army War College’s Strategic Studies Institute, was quoted as saying. He noted that Russian training on a proven command and control system could make the investment worthwhile.
Arostegui added that China has never deployed its airborne forces in actual combat. Leaked 2023 Pentagon assessments found that Taiwan’s air defenses are particularly vulnerable to missile attacks, which could allow China to gain air superiority in the early stages of a conflict.
“Military cooperation between China and Russia extends well beyond what has been publicly disclosed,” a Taiwanese security official said regarding the recent deals, according to the Washington Post report.
China’s leader Xi Jinping has repeatedly stated that bringing Taiwan under Chinese Communist Party rule is key to “national rejuvenation.” US intelligence suggests China aims to be ready to seize Taiwan by 2027, though experts note this is not a fixed deadline.
China and Russia have deepened military cooperation in recent years. Last year, the two militaries held 14 joint exercises, nearly double the number from a decade ago.
Experts cited by the Washington Post note that Russia’s experience in Ukraine is particularly valuable to Beijing, since its training in airborne operations could fill gaps in China’s capabilities.
Taiwan has responded by increasing its defense budget and focusing on training to repel potential invasions. Recent military exercises included drills defending against airborne landings at Taoyuan International Airport.