China has announced a joint military exercise with Russia for September. The exercise aims to “deepen strategic cooperation between the Chinese and Russian military,” the Defense Ministry in Beijing said today.
Naval and air forces of both countries would take part in the “North-Joint 2024” exercise in the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk off the Russian coast.
As the Chinese ministry further announced, the maneuver is intended to improve the ability to “jointly deal with security threats.” For this purpose, a joint maritime patrol will be sent to “relevant sea areas of the Pacific Ocean.” In addition, China will take part in Russia’s strategic exercise “Ocean 2024,” it said.
Joint maneuver already in July
Long-standing allies China and Russia have strengthened their economic and diplomatic cooperation since the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. In mid-July, both countries held joint maneuvers in the waters and airspace off the coast of the port city of Zhanjiang in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong.
