China and Russia to hold joint military drills amid NATO tensions
China has announced that it will conduct joint military exercises with Russia later this month. Beijing confirmed that its objective is to "advance bilateral cooperation" between the countries. NATO is increasingly accusing China of supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Chinese and Russian naval and air forces will participate in the "North-Joint 2024" exercises. The maneuvers will be conducted in the air as well as in the Sea of Japan and the Okhotsk Sea off the coast of Russia, according to the Chinese Ministry of Defense.
"This exercise aims to deepen the strategic cooperation level between the Chinese and Russian militaries and enhance their ability to jointly deal with security threats," the ministry said in a statement.
Both sides will send naval fleets to the "appropriate maritime areas of the Pacific Ocean" for a joint maritime patrol. China will also participate in Russia's strategic exercises "Ocean-2024."
It is not yet known when the announced exercises will take place.
Warning for NATO
In July, both countries conducted joint exercises in the waters and airspace around Zhanjiang, a city in Guangdong Province in southern China.
These exercises took place in the same week that NATO leaders warned that China "has become a decisive factor" in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Following this statement, Beijing warned the US and its allies against "provoking confrontation."
Deepening cooperation
Russia and China have intensified military and economic cooperation in recent years. Both sides share opposition to "Western hegemony," particularly what they see as the dominance of the US in global affairs. Shortly before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the two countries declared a "no-limits" partnership.
In August, during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Moscow, Vladimir Putin said that Russia's economic and trade ties with China are "yielding results."
