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The losing side would be far more likely to be the one on the offensive. In the current political climate anyway there is very little chance of a war going strategic-nuclear, but there's a good chance that a side on the defensive could get away with using tactical weapons against foreign forces on its own soil.
Even without this element the majority of the conflict (assuming a PRC offensive) would be fought in Siberia. Nobody goes anywhere in Siberia very quickly, opposing enemy forces or not - giving the Russians time to transfer forces from Europe or Central Asia (assuming an absence of a threat in those theatres).
The technology aspect is a no brainer. China has made good strides recently but is still far inferior to Russia. Most of their most effective military hardware comes from Russia directly or is Russian-designed and manufactured under license.
Combine these aspects and the smaller, more advanced, defensive Russian forces should be able to handle superior Chinese numbers.
If the PRC were able to achieve some form of strategic surprise, create unrest or even full uprisings in central Asia to tie down Russian forces, blitz through poorly prepared defensive positions and occupy and hold a suitably small and defensive territory against a Russian counterattack then they might be able to convince the Russian government to cede it in a peace treaty. I couldn't see it happening otherwise though.
Even without this element the majority of the conflict (assuming a PRC offensive) would be fought in Siberia. Nobody goes anywhere in Siberia very quickly, opposing enemy forces or not - giving the Russians time to transfer forces from Europe or Central Asia (assuming an absence of a threat in those theatres).
The technology aspect is a no brainer. China has made good strides recently but is still far inferior to Russia. Most of their most effective military hardware comes from Russia directly or is Russian-designed and manufactured under license.
Combine these aspects and the smaller, more advanced, defensive Russian forces should be able to handle superior Chinese numbers.
If the PRC were able to achieve some form of strategic surprise, create unrest or even full uprisings in central Asia to tie down Russian forces, blitz through poorly prepared defensive positions and occupy and hold a suitably small and defensive territory against a Russian counterattack then they might be able to convince the Russian government to cede it in a peace treaty. I couldn't see it happening otherwise though.
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