It is a rapprochement that causes concern. Beijing will send troops to Russia to participate in joint military exercises at the end of the month. And this, in order to “deepen cooperation” between the two armies, announced the Chinese Ministry of Defense.
China and Russia enjoy close defense ties and Beijing has said it wants to take bilateral relations “to a higher level”, despite international condemnations over the war in Ukraine. According to a statement issued on Wednesday, China will participate in the annual “Vostok” exercises – scheduled from August 30 to September 5 according to Moscow – as part of its cooperation with Russia.
Exercises “unrelated” to the invasion of Ukraine
“The aim is to deepen practical and friendly cooperation with the armies of the participating countries, increase the level of strategic collaboration between the participating parties and strengthen the ability to respond to various security threats,” the ministry said. Defense in the press release.
India, Belarus, Mongolia, Tajikistan, among others, will also participate in these exercises. China and India have been accused in recent months of providing diplomatic cover for Russia by opposing Western sanctions and arms sales to Ukraine. But Beijing assures that its participation in the military exercises is “unrelated to the current situation at the regional and international level”.
No “particular interpretation” from Washington
These are the second exercises jointly conducted by China and Russia this year. In May, the two countries had organized thirteen-hour maneuvers near Japan and South Korea, forcing the latter to launch fighter planes as a deterrent, when US President Joe Biden was in Tokyo.
Washington regularly worries about the rapprochement between China and Russia, believing that it endangers global security. Asked about Chinese participation in these joint exercises, State Department spokesman Ned Price, however, indicated that the United States had no “particular interpretation”. “Most of the countries concerned also regularly participate in a wide range of military exercises and exchanges with the United States,” he told a press conference.