JAKARTA - The Chinese military will move to Russia. In the framework of joint military exercises led by the host and also India, Belarus, Mongolia, to Tajikistan.
China's Defense Ministry said Wednesday, August 17, that the participation of its troops in the joint exercise was not related to the current international and regional situation, as reported by Channel News Asia citing Reuters news.
Last month, Moscow announced plans to hold the "Vostok" (East) exercise from August 30 to September 5. Even the exercise was launched when Russia was still involved in a long war with Ukraine.
The Kremlin said at that time, several foreign troops would participate, without naming them.
China's defense ministry said its participation in the exercise was part of an ongoing bilateral cooperation agreement with Russia.
"The aim is to deepen practical and friendly cooperation with the armies of the participating countries, increase the level of strategic collaboration among the participating parties, and strengthen the ability to respond to various security threats," the ministry said.
Under Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Beijing and Moscow have grown closer and closer.
A year ago this month, Russia and China held joint military exercises in north-central China involving more than 10,000 troops. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu praised the Sibu/Cooperation-2021 exercise in China's Ningxia and suggested that the exercise could be developed further.
In October, Russia and China held joint naval exercises in the Sea of Japan. Days later, Russian and Chinese warships held their first joint patrol of the western Pacific.
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