Russian and Chinese air forces have participated in joint military exercises in the Asia-Pacific region, the Russian defense ministry said on Wednesday.
“The Russian Air Force and the Air Force of the People’s Liberation Army of China conducted another joint air patrol in the Asia-Pacific region”the ministry said in a statement.
Russian TU-95 and Chinese Xian H-6 strategic missile carriers flew over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea for eight hours, according to the statement.
With the doors of the West closed since the offensive in Ukraine, Putin has sought to strengthen ties with Asia, especially China.
“For the first time in the history of air patrols, Russian aircraft landed in the People’s Republic of China and Chinese aircraft landed in the territory of the Russian Federation,” the ministry said.
The exercises were done “in strict accordance with international law” and “were not directed against third countries,” the statement said.
Moscow hopes to find common ground with Beijing as both have ambitions to overtake the US-led world order.
China has not condemned Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, but Beijing has also rejected arms shipments to Moscow despite a “borderless” friendship.
Asia Pacific is a strategic region for the US, China and Russia.
The US has had to balance its efforts in Ukraine, where it tries to respond to Russia’s actions, and in Asia, where it wants to deter China, for example in Taiwan.
Amid mounting rivalry, China’s Xi Jinping met his US counterpart Joe Biden at the G20 summit two weeks ago, and both pledged to soften the rhetoric and work to overcome the unease between the two powers.
Source: DN
