China has sent naval ships to prepare joint exercises with Russian naval forces, as a sign of Beijing’s continued support for Moscow, the government said.
The joint exercises are taking place despite the growing economic and humanitarian consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
China claims to be neutral in the conflict but accused the United States and its allies of provoking Russia and strengthening economic, diplomatic and commercial ties with Moscow.
More than 10 ships and more than 30 aircraft are involved in the exercise, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
The ministry and Xinhua did not provide further details, but exercises are expected to take place in various parts of the Sea of Japan in the coming days.
Beijing has refused to condemn the invasion of Ukraine in international forums, but has assured it will not supply arms to either side of the war.
The Defense Ministry announced that the Chinese ships joined the Russian ships at noon on Wednesday.
They included the destroyers Qiqihar and Guiyang, the guided missile frigates Zaozhuang and Rizhao, and the supply ship Taihu.
The Chinese ships had four helicopters on board, according to the ministry.
Russian participants included the frigates Gromkiy and Otlichnyy, which have been receiving visitors over the past week in Shanghai, China’s largest city and financial center.
The joint exercises focus on ship-to-ship communications, formation maneuvers and maritime search and rescue, the ministry said.
The exercise comes after a meeting in Beijing between China’s defense minister and the head of the Russian navy, the first formal military talks between neighboring countries since a short-lived mutiny by the Russian mercenary group Wagner.
China’s Defense Minister Li Shangfu told Russian Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov that China hopes to increase exchanges, joint exercises and other forms of cooperation to help defense ties “reach a new level,” the ministry said.
China operates the world’s largest navy by number of hulls, far surpassing the Russian navy in size and technical capabilities. The two countries’ fleets and air forces have conducted several joint exercises and maneuvers since the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year.
China sees the partnership with its neighbor as fundamental to opposing the liberal democratic order led by the United States.
Source: DN
