Both China and Russia are among the largest countries in the world, with strong military power and industrial bases.
However, cooperation between the two countries in the military field has never yielded satisfactory results.
Since the beginning of the 90s, China and Russia have cooperated for 30 years and invested tens of billions of dollars, but not a single advanced joint equipment has come out.
Why is that?
Recently, the Sino-Russian cooperation project CR929 joint passenger aircraft in the field of civil aviation was officially terminated.
It is a long-range wide-body airliner jointly developed by China and Russia, aiming to break the monopoly of Boeing and Airbus and provide more choice and competition.
However, the project was difficult from the beginning, and there were great differences between the two sides in terms of technology, division of labor, market, etc., resulting in slow progress and rising costs.
In the end, China decided to develop the C929 alone, while Russia withdrew from the cooperation.
In fact, CR929 is not the first failed case of Sino-Russian cooperation.
Prior to this, China and Russia also cooperated on a heavy-duty *** project, namely AHL.
It is a large-tonnage joint development between China and Russia*** designed to meet the needs of both sides in the civilian and military sectors, increasing transport capacity and flexibility.
However, the project also encountered many difficulties, and there was a big gap between the two sides in terms of technology, division of labor, and market, resulting in slow progress and rising costs.
In the end, China developed the Z-20 independently, while Russia did not have a clear follow-up plan
Looking back at the cooperation projects between China and Russia over the past 30 years, we will find that except for a few successful examples, such as the "Thunder" fighter and the J-11A fighter, most of the projects have ended in failure or have no substantive cooperation.
For example, the Su-30MKK fighter and the Il-76 78 transport aircraft tanker are all requested by China, and Russia provides the finished product, which does not involve the sharing of core technologies.
And the Su-35SK fighter and the "Modern" class destroyer are directly purchased by China under special circumstances, and there is no joint research and development process.
So, why can't China and Russia cooperate in developing some advanced equipment like European countries?
There are many reasons for this, but the main ones can be boiled down to the following:
First, China and Russia do not have the same military needs and development goals.
China and Russia are both big powers, both have their own strategic interests and security considerations, and it is impossible for them to completely obey each other's will.
Cooperation between China and Russia in the military field is often based on some kind of strategic balance or complementary considerations, rather than on genuine trust and consensus.
Therefore, in the process of cooperation, the two sides often have a lot of reservations and restrictions, and are unwilling to share their core technologies, nor are they willing to take too many risks and costs.
This leads to inefficient and low-quality cooperation, making it difficult to achieve the desired goals.
Second, there is a gap between the industrial level and technological capabilities of China and Russia.
Both China and Russia are industrial powers, and both have their own advantages and disadvantages.
But in general, China's industrial level and technological capabilities have improved significantly in recent years, while Russia is lagging behind.
This leads to the situation that one party leads and one party follows in the process of cooperation, or one party is satisfied and the other party is not satisfied.
This affects the balance and stability of cooperation, as well as the innovation and breakthrough of cooperation.
Third, China and Russia have different market needs and competitive environments.
Both China and Russia are among the world's largest arms exporters, and both have their own market needs and competitors.
But in general, the market demand in China is greater and there are more competitors, while Russia is relatively small and fewer.
This leads to the situation that in the process of cooperation between the two sides, one side is active and one side is passive, or one side is urgent and the other side is cold.
This affects the dynamics and coordination of cooperation, as well as the benefits and prospects of cooperation.
To sum up, although Sino-Russian cooperation in the military field has a good foundation and potential, it is also facing many difficulties and challenges.
These difficulties and challenges cannot be solved overnight, nor can they be stopped by the obstacles of some people.
These difficulties and challenges require both sides to have a more open and pragmatic attitude, more frank and reasonable communication, and more equal and mutually beneficial cooperation in order to overcome and break through.
Otherwise, the disillusionment of Sino-Russian cooperation will only deprive both sides of an important opportunity and the world of an important force.