Joint Chinese-Russian drills have become increasingly common in recent years - this week’s exercises are the fifth between the two navies since 2012 - with the countries joined in their mutual suspicion of the U.S. However, the official Xinhua News Agency said the Russian ships arrived early Monday in the Guangdong province port of Zhanjiang and the exercises would be held off the Guangdong coast, apparently in waters that are not in dispute. The ministry didn’t say exactly where the drills would be held in the South China Sea, the site of heated territorial disputes between China and its Southeast Asian neighbors. “It will also improve coordination between the two navies on joint defense operations at sea,” Liang said.Ĭhina’s South Sea Fleet will make up the bulk of the forces, along with some elements from the North and East Sea fleets, Liang said. The exercise is part of an annual program which “aims to consolidate and advance the Sino-Russian comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, and deepen friendly and practical cooperation between the two militaries,” Chinese navy spokesman Liang Yang was quoted as saying.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
June 2023
Categories |