China has revealed its intentions to engage in joint military exercises with Russia in September, further solidifying the growing military alliance between the two nations.
The drills, titled ‘North-Joint 2024′, are set to feature coordinated naval and air force maneuvers across the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk, located near Russia’s eastern coastline.
The Chinese defense ministry emphasized that the exercises are aimed at “deepening the strategic cooperation level” between the two nations’ armed forces, while boosting their collective capacity to respond to shared security threats.
As part of these drills, both nations plan to send their naval fleets to the Pacific Ocean for combined maritime patrols.
In addition to ‘North-Joint 2024’, China will also participate in Russia’s significant “Ocean-2024” strategic military exercise.
While the defense ministry has not provided specific dates for the joint activities, the announcement highlights the intensifying military cooperation between the two powers.
This move follows recent military drills held in July near the Chinese port city of Zhanjiang, signaling a continued pattern of collaboration.
The timing of these exercises has attracted scrutiny from NATO, which has previously accused China of being a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine.
In response to NATO’s criticisms, Beijing warned against “provoking confrontation,” underlining its opposition to the Western alliance’s stance.
China and Russia’s military and economic partnerships have expanded considerably in recent years, particularly in their shared opposition to what they describe as “Western hegemony” and U.S. global influence. In early 2022, just before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the two countries declared a “no limits” partnership, underscoring their commitment to a deepened relationship.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, where he underscored the growing economic ties between Moscow and Beijing, further demonstrating the strength of their alliance.
