According to Beijing’s defence ministry, Chinese troops will go to Russia to actually participate in joint military exercises.
Strong defence relations exist between Beijing and Moscow, and China has declared its intention to push these ties “to a higher level” amid Moscow facing international sanctions and popular backlash for its role in the conflict in Ukraine.
The annual “Vostok” drills, which Moscow claims will actually occur from August 30 to September 5, are part of a bilateral bilateral agreement between China and Russia, according to the Chinese Ministry of Defense on Wednesday.
The objective, according to the Chinese Ministry of Defense, is to “deepen friendly and practical cooperation with the militaries of participating nations, raise the degree of strategic cooperation among the parties involved, and boost the ability to respond to diverse security challenges.”It stated that other nations would also be participating, including Belarus, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and India.
By opposing Western sanctions and weaponry deliveries to Kiev, China and India have been charged of providing diplomatic support for Russia throughout its protracted conflict in Ukraine.
Beijing, however, asserted that the joint exercises were “unrelated to the current international and regional situation” and that it would participate anyhow.
This year’s joint military drill between Chinese and Russian forces is the second one.
In May, while US President Joe Biden was visiting Tokyo, bombers from the two nations performed a 13-hour exercise near to Japan and South Korea, leading those nations to activate its jet fighters.
