China announced on Monday that it will conduct joint military drills with Russia this month, as both nations strengthen their strategic alliance, particularly in the wake of ongoing global tensions.
The “North-Joint 2024” exercises will involve naval and air forces and will take place in the skies and waters surrounding the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk, off Russia’s eastern coast.
China’s defense ministry stated that the drills aim to bolster the strategic cooperation between the Chinese and Russian militaries and enhance their joint capabilities in responding to security threats.
In addition to these drills, China will also participate in Russia’s “Ocean-2024” strategic exercise.
The announcement of these exercises follows recent NATO concerns, where the alliance described China as a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
China and Russia have increasingly deepened their military and economic ties, declaring a “no limits” partnership in 2022 just before Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine began. Both countries continue to resist what they perceive as Western hegemony, particularly in response to US dominance in global affairs.
While no exact dates were provided for the drills, they are part of a broader effort by the two nations to solidify their military collaboration, as evidenced by similar joint exercises conducted earlier in July around southern China’s Zhanjiang.
Get instant and latest news updates via Our WhatsApp Community or Google News online channel.
