China May Buy Russia’s S-500 Air Defence System: High-Level Talks Strengthen Ties, India On Edge | World News

Moscow: Increasing security cooperation between Russia and China has caused alarm around the world, including in India and the United States. A delegation of senior Chinese generals recently visited Moscow and held high-level talks with senior defense officials. During these talks, both sides pledged to deepen cooperation in sensitive areas, including missile defense.

Reports indicate that Russia has offered the S-500 missile defense system to China, fueling speculation that Beijing may purchase the advanced system soon.

General Zhang Yuxia, vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, met with his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov on Thursday, according to the Chinese Ministry of Defense. During the visit, it was emphasized that defense ties between the two countries continue to strengthen.

“Both sides held in-depth discussions on the relations between our countries and the armed forces, international and regional developments, and issues of mutual concern. Both sides agreed to enhance high-level dialogue and deepen practical cooperation,” the Chinese Ministry said in an official statement released on Thursday night.

A New Cooperation Plan

Belousov stated that Russia hopes to work with China to “create a new plan for defense cooperation.” Sputnik News quoted him as saying that Russia-China military cooperation is based on “mutual trust and understanding of each other’s interests.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry said representatives from both countries met in Moscow on Wednesday to discuss missile defense and strategic stability.

The meeting was attended by high-ranking military officials from both sides. The Russian delegation was led by special representative for strategic stability Andrey Malyugin, while the Chinese delegation was led by Li Chijiang, deputy director-general of the Arms Control and Disarmament Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The statement confirmed that the delegations “held in-depth discussions on factors that pose strategic threats to global and regional security and exchanged ideas on potential solutions.” Both sides expressed satisfaction with the level of dialogue and agreed to further deepen cooperation in relevant areas.

Concerns About US Missile Shield Plans

These talks on missile defense come amid growing concerns in Moscow and Beijing about US President Donald Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile shield and plans to resume nuclear weapons testing after more than three decades.

Trump has expressed a desire to pursue nuclear disarmament with both Russia and China. Beijing has shown limited interest in direct negotiations with Moscow or Washington despite the rapid increase in its nuclear stockpiles. Both Russia and China continue to possess significantly larger nuclear arsenals, raising global strategic interests.