BEIJING –
China’s Defence Ministry on Monday introduced joint naval and air drills with Russia beginning this month, underscoring the closeness between their militaries as Russia presses its grinding invasion of Ukraine.
The ministry mentioned the “Northern United-2024” workout routines would happen within the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk farther north, however gave no particulars.
It mentioned the naval and air drills aimed to enhance strategic cooperation between the 2 international locations and “strengthen their potential to collectively take care of safety threats.”
The discover additionally mentioned the 2 navies would cruise collectively within the Pacific, the fifth time they’ve finished so, and collectively participate in Russia’s “Nice Ocean-24” train. No particulars got.
China has refused to criticize Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its third 12 months, and blamed the U.S. and NATO for frightening President Vladimir Putin.
Whereas China has indirectly supplied Russia with arms, it has change into a vital financial lifeline as a prime buyer for Russian oil and fuel in addition to a provider of electronics and different gadgets with each civilian and navy makes use of.
Russia and China, together with different U.S. critics resembling Iran, have aligned their overseas insurance policies to problem and probably overturn the Western-led liberal democratic order. With joint workout routines, Russia has sought Chinese language assist in attaining its long-cherished intention of changing into a Pacific energy, whereas Moscow has backed China’s territorial claims within the South China Sea and elsewhere.
That has more and more included the 180-kilometre (110-mile) extensive Taiwan Strait that divides mainland China from the self-governing island democracy that Beijing considers its personal territory and threatens to invade.
Based mostly on that declare, the Taiwan Strait is Chinese language. Although it isn’t against navigation by others by one of many world’s most closely trafficked sea methods, China is “firmly against provocations by international locations that jeopardize China’s sovereignty and safety below the banner of freedom of navigation,” Chinese language International Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning mentioned at a every day briefing on Friday.
Mao was responding to a report {that a} pair of German navy ships had been to cross by the strait this month for the primary time in additional than 20 years. The U.S. and just about each different nation, together with Taiwan, considers the strait worldwide waters.
