General of the Russian Army Valery Gerasimov talks with China’s General Li Shangfu

Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, First Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation General of the Army Valery Gerasimov during talks with counterpart Li Shangfu from the People’s Republic of China:

‘Comrade General. It is a pleasure to welcome you.

First of all, I would like to congratulate you on your appointment to the post of Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China and wish you success in your responsible post in defending the motherland, strengthening its defensive capacity, and further modernising the People’s Liberation Army of China.

I am confident that your extensive experience will aid in the growth of the People’s Liberation Army as well as the expansion of military cooperation between our countries.

The visit to Moscow in April by Minister of Defence of the People’s Republic of China General Li Shangfu was of great significance for the development of defence cooperation between Russia and China.

We appreciate the fact that after his appointment to his post General Li Shangfu chose Russia as the first country for his foreign trip, as did Chinese President Xi Jinping, who paid a state visit to Russia in March.

President Vladimir Putin and President Xi Jinping have confirmed that the Russian-Chinese comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction are at the highest level.

Against the backdrop of recent global events, the decisions taken constitute long-term national development and security goals enshrined in our leaders’ joint statement, including issues of expanding military cooperation.

Coordination between Russia and the People’s Republic of China in the international arena has a stabilising effect on the world situation.

An example of this is joint military exercises both bilaterally and within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and ADMM Plus that promote the deepening of positive defence contacts.

The practice of joint operational and combat training by the Russian Armed Forces and People’s Liberation Army of China should continue to be a priority in the future.

I am convinced that today’s talks will serve to further strengthen the Russian-Chinese strategic partnership in the defence sphere.

I’d want to take this occasion to encourage you to visit Russia whenever it is convenient for you’.

https://t.me/mod_russia_en/7777

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The Russian Military and the Chinese Military have open doors between them.  On the Russian side, we know what is happening and watch it daily.  On the Chinese side, the pressure, from the US and a new NATO office in Japan, is being ratcheted up unbelievably.  The latest:

The commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral John Aquilino, highlighted the military’s threatening posture towards China, speaking at the annual meeting of the National Committee on US-China Relations last month. The group is known for encouraging engagement between the world’s two largest economies.

In yet another confirmation that the White House has overturned the long-standing “strategic ambiguity” policy regarding Taiwan, Aquilino went so far as to say President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin have tasked him to win a war against China if Beijing attacks the island.

“What I can tell you is the secretary and the president have tasked me with two missions. The first is to prevent this conflict. And then the second one is if I fail at Mission One to be ready and prepared to fight and win… the United States military is manned, trained, equipped, postured and ready to execute both of those missions,” the INDOPACOM chief said.  https://libertarianinstitute.org/news/indopaccom-chief-the-us-is-ready-to-fight-and-win-a-war-with-china/

As I’ve explained before, Taiwan is the word, it is the name.  It is easily remembered by most that actively support a war against China.  This war, and the possibility that there will be one is actively being prepared for.  We see the US encroaching in the Asia-Pacific, under the name Indo-Pacific and doing their preparatory work, not only regarding Taiwan, but the full first island chain and various countries are being set up as war proxies, militarised and weaponized.  Think of the Philippines and South Korea, Japan, and Australia being the bigger ones.  It is quite actively being discussed.

This war is planned as a boots-on-the-ground war + proxies.  It may look at the moment as if it is a lost cause and the US + NATO are not prepared and from our circles, the ability to fight a war is questionable.

Yet preparations are being done actively and this is why Chinese and Russian militaries hold joint aerial strategic patrols in the Asia-Pacific region.  The last patrol consisted of Chinese H-6K bombers and two Russian Tu-95 bombers, escorted by two unidentified Chinese fighter jets.  They flew together over the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan on the 6th of June, just a few days ago.

What is not generally known, is that this is not an exercise, but Chinese reports call this a patrol amidst rising tensions and US provocations in the region.  The Shangri-La dialogue was taking place and what is also not generally known is that a PLA Navy flotilla consisting of a 055 large destroyer Anshan and a 054A frigate Linyi sailed from the East China Sea through the Tsushima Strait into the Sea of Japan a day before the aerial patrol.  In addition, the Russian Pacific Fleet launched an exercise in the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk on the 5th, sending over 60 warships and 35 aircraft, according to a statement released by Russia’s Defense Ministry on the day.

Was there military coordination between the Russian Pacific Fleet and the PLA Navy flotilla and the aerial patrol?  I don’t have anything that specifically tells me so, except the readout of the conversation between Valery Gerasimov and Li Shangfu that talks about strengthening the Russian-Chinese strategic partnership in the defense sphere and the open-door policy.  I have a musing on probability though.  I’d love to see the document between the militaries where they spell out the probability of kinetic action in the region vs expected timing.  One would think there is such a document and one would think it is a continually updated document, not passive.

Currently, there are large-scale PLA drills around Taiwan and Xi Jinping called on Chinese border troops to enhance their capabilities in border defense and control to forge a “great wall of steel” along the country’s borders.