China Plans Military Drills With Russia

In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and China’s Vice President Han Zheng attend a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on September 5, 2024.

China said Monday it would hold joint military drills with Russia this month, as the allies deepen ties that have seen NATO dub Beijing an “enabler” of Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

Naval and air forces will take part in the “North-Joint 2024” exercises in the skies and around the Sea of Japan and Sea of Okhotsk, off Russia’s coast, China’s defence ministry said.

“This exercise aims to deepen the strategic cooperation level between the Chinese and Russian militaries and enhance their ability to jointly deal with security threats,” the ministry said.

The two sides will send naval fleets to “relevant sea areas of the Pacific Ocean” for a joint maritime patrol, and China will also participate in Russia’s “Ocean-2024” strategic exercise, it added.