Current Date: 28 Mar, 2024

China's naval exercise with South Africa and Russia is more about political symbolism than military benefits

Exercise Mosi II, which will hold off the coast of South Africa the following month, is another indication of China's military diplomacy resumption following the pandemic.

China's naval exercise with South Africa and Russia is more about political symbolism than military benefits

According to some analysts, the political benefits of Beijing establishing relations with the host outweigh the exercise's military advantages by a significant margin. Moreover, analysts predict that China's political concessions from a naval exercise with South Africa and Russia will outweigh any military benefits next month.

South Africa will host Exercise Mosi II off its coast from February 17 to 27, according to a January 19 announcement from the country's defense department. 350 South African sailors will exchange operational expertise with their Russian and Chinese counterparts.


Virtual planning conferences were held in early December to prepare for the drill. The three navies are participating in their second Mosi exercise, following one in November 2019.

Countries opposed to Russia's invasion of Ukraine have criticized the drill, which South Africa has declined to denounce. However, Neledi Pandor, the foreign minister of South Africa, stated on Monday that it was normal for friends to host such events.

According to Zhou Chenming, a researcher at the Beijing-based Yuan Wang military science and technology think tank, the trilateral drill indicates that China's military diplomacy has resumed after three years of pandemic-control restrictions.

Since the 1990s, "China has always placed importance on developing relations with African nations," he said. As a result, the Chinese navy's capabilities, which were previously much weaker, have changed.


Zhou says there were no political rivals for Beijing among South Africa's neighbors, who also noted that the small drill appeared to be a routine exercise. 

According to the Pentagon's 2020 China Military Power Report, the People's Liberation Army has the world's largest navy, with an overall battle force of approximately 350 surface ships and submarines, including more than 130 major surface combatants.


Timothy Heath, a senior international defense researcher at the American think tank Rand Corporation, states that political symbolism rather than actual military prowess would be the main takeaway from the joint exercise.


The exercise, he claimed, does little to strengthen China's or South Africa's military strength and is essential for Chinese efforts to build good relations with African countries.

Heath predicted that China would gain political respect and standing among South African elites for its willingness to support South Africa's decision to conduct an exercise with Russia.


This was advantageous for China, given its extensive relationship with African nations through the Belt and Road Initiative and long-standing cooperation. A massive, China-centered plan to increase global trade, the Belt and Road Initiative involves over US$1 trillion in investments and dozens of countries.

Relations are cordial with South Africa. Before a recent Covid-19 surge in China, South Africa did not place any travel restrictions on Chinese visitors. President Xi Jinping met with President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa on the sidelines of the G20 summit on November 15 in Bali, Indonesia.

China and South Africa's relationship, which Xi praised as one of "comradeship and brotherhood," should firmly uphold both the interests of developing nations as a whole as well as international justice and fairness.

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Excellence Chukwuma Chukwunaedu

Excellence Chukwuma Chukwunaedu

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