China and Russia will carry out joint military maneuvers in the Vostok 2022 exercises. Moscow announced on Monday that it will begin military maneuvers in the east of the country together with the Asian country, according to the Associated Press, a cooperation that comes at a time of heightened tension with the West over the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced that the Vostok 2022 maneuvers will take place from September 1 to 7 in various places in the Russian Far East and the Sea of Japan. More than 50,000 soldiers, 140 aircraft and 60 warships will participate, according to the same source. Along with Moscow and Beijing, troops from several former Soviet nations, as well as from the India, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua and Syria.
The ministry has indicated that, during the war exercises, the Russian and Chinese navies will carry out “joint actions to protect maritime communications, zones of marine economic activity and support for ground troops in coastal areas.”
The maneuvers are one more example of the growing rapprochement between Moscow and Beijing, which has been strengthened after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. China has steadfastly refused to criticize Putin’s operations, and blames the US and NATO for provoking Moscow. Beijing has also criticized the sanctions imposed on the Russian giant.
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In return for its support, Russia supported China’s position after Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan that reignited tensions with the United States. Russian President Vladimir Putin assured that the US congresswoman’s visit to the island was part of “supposed efforts to promote world instability.
In recent years, the two countries have jointly conducted naval drills and fighter-bomber patrols over the Sea of Japan and the China Sea. Last year, for the first time, a contingent of Russian troops was deployed on Chinese soil for joint exercises. Both Russia and China have traditionally rejected the possibility of forging a military alliance. However, at present, Putin assures that this possibility cannot be ruled out.
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.