A few years ago, I wrote about Russian-Chinese ships doing maneuvers together in the South China Sea. That was the beginning of public displays of cooperation, which comes and goes between these two. The exercises they are going to undertake this time involves 3200 troops (they can muster numbers for anything, can't they?), 30 fixed wing aircraft, and a host of weapons. Putting those numbers in an exercise area on their border used to make us wonder if one of them was worried about an attack on the other. Funny how things change.
The Chinese are said to be learning how to deploy large forces beyond their borders. In the past they have never had many problems with doing that (did we forget Korea and Vietnam already?) They may have to upgrade their methods to do it in scale and quickly enough to matter, but don't sell them short. They have the capability and don't need that much cooperation unless someone attacks their borders. That isn't going to happen soon.
These exercises are a demonstration that they can fight the US and whatever allies it can muster in that region. There are not many. China has bought most of them in a new demonstration of economic warfare techniques that dwarf the Information War Russia has used on the US. That effort is to make it harder for the US to come into the region under any circumstances. They are reinforcing their little islands with weapons and military personnel. They have linked oil platforms and ships' radars to make a radar net that will pick up most anything. They are putting millions into their navy. They are investing in missiles and other strategic space assets. That sounds like they are building up for something, probably taking Taiwan from the people there now, even helping Russia take back some of territory while they do it. Imagine Russia attacking Ukraine et al, and China taking over Taiwan without a shot, both on the same day.
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