MOSCOW. Jan 26 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Technologies Corporation views a decline in military-technological cooperation with China as a logical process, but expects that new contracts for supplies of modern types of Russian weapons and military hardware could be concluded with that country.
"China is trying to build everything on its own. They are leaning on their own resources. This trend has always been and will remain in place," Russian Technologies General Director Sergei Chemezov told Interfax-AVN.
China will buy weapons that it cannot produce itself, Chemezov said. "Surely, they are so far behind in technical terms. They are behind in terms of technology. Therefore, China will buy some modern weapons from us anyway, although their volumes will not be the same as before," Chemezov said.
China is currently not only a partner but also a competitor to Russia on the global weapons market, Chemezov said. "They are closer and closer to our heels," he said.
Emphases in Russian-Chinese military-technological cooperation will be drifting toward joint projects, Chemezov said. "They are already setting terms, like, for instance, we buy some amount from you, and let's do the rest together, or give us the technology," Chemezov said.
The fact that the amount of weapons supplies to China, which has always presented itself as Russia's strategic partner in the military-technological cooperation area, has dropped significantly is a logical process, he reiterated.
"Look how they are developing their industry. This is why they have been producing most of the weapons themselves. And not only themselves. China is already exporting its military hardware. For instance, to Pakistan. They are also working actively in African countries," Chemezov said.