Russia, China sign $2 billion contract over Su-35 fighter jets

Reuters ^ | November 19, 2015

[sukhoi-30mki]

MOSCOW--China is set to buy 24 Sukhoi-35 fighter jets from Russia in a deal worth more than $2 billion (246.3 billion yen), an industry source told Reuters on Nov. 19, in a move that may help the Kremlin's strained finances.

A spokeswoman for Russian state holding Rostec confirmed a deal between the two countries had been signed involving Su-35 fighter jets, but declined to provide details.

The deal makes China the first foreign buyer of the Su-35, one of Russia's most advanced military aircraft, and is one of the largest contracts for military jets signed between the two countries.

Russia and China have been in talks for several years over the Su-35s, and in 2012 the two sides signed a preliminary agreement for Beijing to buy some of the jets, the Kommersant newspaper reported.

Arms sales are a rare bright spot in an otherwise gloomy economic picture for Russia, whose economy is suffering from weak oil prices and Western sanctions over the Ukraine conflict.

Moscow has sought to deepen trade and financial ties with Beijing following the chill in relations with the West over Ukraine, but some analysts are sceptical as to whether the dr

[sukhoi-30mki]

The Su-35 fighter. © Artem Zhitenev / Sputnik

[ETL]

Putting things in context...

From the Sino-Russian Joint Statement of April 23, 1997:
"The two sides [China and Russia] shall, in the spirit of partnership, strive to promote the multipolarization of the world and the establishment of a new international order."

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/HI29Ag01.html
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"Joint war games are a logical outcome of the Sino-Russian Friendship and Cooperation Treaty signed in 2001, and reflect the shared worldview and growing economic ties between the two Eastern Hemisphere giants."

http://www.heritage.org/research/commentary/2005/09/war-games-russia-china-grow-alliance

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,170287,00.html
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Sept 11, 2014

China and Russia to build major seaport: report

China and Russia will build one of the largest ports in north-east Asia on Russia's Sea of Japan coast, reports say, in a further sign of the powerhouses' growing alliance.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-11/china-and-russia-to-build-major-seaport-report/5738036
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Obama: "We Welcome China's Rise"
CBS News ^ | January 19, 2011 | Stephanie Condon
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[Tucker39]

246.3 billion YEN?! Rueters needs to hire a proofreader and/or hire slightly higher-class reporters....unless we’re to infer that Japan is buying the airplanes and gifting them to China.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Reuters is the source of the original report, which was reproduced by a Japanese paper (the Asahi Shimbun) that added the Yen figure.