Ukraine war provides ‘new motivation’ for China to seek tech self-reliance amid Russia sanctions

Russia is facing a barrage of sanctions from the United States and the European Union over its invasion of Ukraine

The sanctions raise questions over the future of its advanced technology trade, development and investment relationship with China, including the CR929 passenger jet

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To break the duopoly of Boeing and Airbus, China and Russia have sought to develop a wide-body passenger jet, although the launch of the CR929 has suffered a series of delays since 2015. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 2:00am, 15 Mar 2022Updated: 3:12am, 15 Mar 2022

Russia’s increasing isolation from the West may reinforce China’s push for self-reliance in advanced technologies, according to analysts, with Western sanctions already leaving one joint venture “effectively dead”.

Moscow is facing a barrage of restrictions from the United States and the European Union over its invasion of Ukraine, raising questions over the future of its advanced technology trade, development and investment relationship with China.

This covers a broad range of areas including civil aviation, artificial intelligence and dual-use technologies that have both civilian and military application.

Cortney Weinbaum, senior management scientist at the Rand Corporation, believes that Western sanctions could push Russia to boost arms trade with China in the short term.

This war may provide a new motivation for Beijing to reduce its reliance on Moscow, but wishing does not make it so

Cortney Weinbaum

However, Beijing’s long-term objective remains intact as it seeks to become self-reliant in crucial technologies to ensure economic security.

“Beijing has been trying to advance its research and development and manufacturing sectors for decades. The country does not want to be reliant on foreign systems, it wants autonomy to make its own military decisions, and reliance on foreign countries is undesirable,” said Weinbaum.

“Engines are an example of this; China has strived for years to produce effective aircraft engines, and yet they still flounder and rely on Russian systems.