Russia to participate in Chinese military drills in September

The Russian military will send its naval and air forces to participate in China's drills in September, the Chinese Defense Ministry said Sept. 9.

Moscow has deepened military ties with Beijing amid growing tensions with the West, which have escalated after the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine.

The North-Joint 2024 will take place in the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk, with the aim of "enhancing strategic cooperation between the Chinese and Russian militaries and their ability to jointly respond to security threats," the ministry said.

The exact date of the drills was not specified.

The Russian and Chinese naval forces will also conduct the fifth joint maritime cruise in the Pacific Ocean, and Beijing will take part in Russia's Ocean-2024 drills.

The two countries previously held joint drills at a Chinese military point in Zhanjiang in July.

The July exercises came shortly after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that alliance members agreed that China is a "decisive enabler" of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

A joint declaration of NATO members also mentioned that China is a threat to the interests and security of the alliance, which Stoltenberg said was "the first time that all NATO members state this so clearly in an agreed document."

China has also become the key economic lifeline for Russia as it faces mounting Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine, as well as its leading source of dual-use goods. There has been no confirmation that China provided Russia with direct military support.

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