According to the Chinese Defense Ministry on September 9th, the Russian military will be sending its naval and air forces to participate in China’s drills in September. This move comes as Moscow has strengthened its military ties with Beijing amidst growing tensions with the West, particularly after the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine.
The joint drills, known as North-Joint 2024, will take place in the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk. The aim of these drills is to enhance strategic cooperation between the Chinese and Russian militaries and improve their ability to jointly respond to security threats. However, the exact date of the drills has not been specified.
In addition to the joint drills, the Russian and Chinese naval forces will also conduct their fifth joint maritime cruise in the Pacific Ocean. China will also participate in Russia’s Ocean-2024 drills. This is not the first time the two countries have held joint drills, as they previously did so at a Chinese military point in Zhanjiang in July.
These exercises come shortly after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that alliance members agree that China is a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The joint declaration of NATO members also mentioned that China poses a threat to the interests and security of the alliance. Stoltenberg noted that this is the first time all NATO members have stated this so clearly in an agreed document.
China has also become a key economic lifeline for Russia, as it faces mounting Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine. China is also Russia’s leading source of dual-use goods. However, there has been no confirmation that China provided direct military support to Russia.
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