Chinese troops will travel to Russia to take part in common military drills, Beijing’s defense ministry said.
Beijing and Moscow have close defense links and China has said it wants to push bilateral relations “to an advanced position,” indeed as Moscow faces transnational warrants and a wide combination over its war in Ukraine.
China’s defense ministry said Wednesday its participation in the periodic “Vostok” exercises — which Moscow has said will take place from August 30 to September 5 is part of a bilateral cooperation agreement with Russia.
“The end is to consolidate practical and friendly cooperation with the armies of sharing countries, enhance the position of strategic collaboration among the sharing parties, and strengthen the capability to respond to colorful security pitfalls,” the Chinese defense ministry said in a statement.
India, Belarus, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and other countries will also share, it said.
China and India have been indicted of furnishing political cover for Russia throughout its months-long war in Ukraine by opposing Western warrants and arms deals to Kyiv.
But Beijing claimed its participation in the common exercises was “unconnected to the current transnational and indigenous situation”.
It’s the alternate common military exercise conducted by Chinese and Russian colors this time.
Bombers from the two countries conducted a 13- hour drill near Japan and South Korea in May, forcing those countries to scramble to spurt fighters, as US President Joe Biden was visiting Tokyo.
State Department prophet Ned Price said that while warming ties between China and Russia undermined global security, Washington didn’t “read anything” into the drills.
“Utmost of the sharing countries also routinely share in a wide array of military exercises and exchanges with the United States as well,” he told a press conference.
