China-Russia Joint Military Exercise in East Asia

The joint exercise of Russian and Chinese strategic bombers in East Asia today shows the depth of alignment between the two countries, a US government official said.

The Russian Defense Ministry earlier confirmed the joint patrol, which it said lasted 13 hours over the Sea of ​​Japan and the Eastern China Sea and included Russian Tu-95 and Chinese Xian H-6 strategic bombers.

Japanese and South Korean Air Force planes monitored Russian and Chinese jets for a section of the high schools, according to Russia.

These are the first joint military exercises of China and Russia since Moscow invaded Ukraine on February 24, according to the US official, while they are being held towards the end of a trip of US President Joe Biden to the region.

“We think they show that China continues to be willing to align itself closely with Russia, also through military cooperation,” he said, adding that such actions should be well planned in advance.

“China is not moving away from Russia. In fact, the high schools show that China is ready to help Russia defend its east while Russia is fighting in its west,” the official said.

The high-ranking official added that the bombing high schools show that Russia will be next to China in its territorial disputes with neighboring countries in the Eastern and Southern China Seas.

It is unclear whether the high schools were designed to coincide with Biden’s first trip as president to Asia, where he visited allied South Korea and Japan, and today met with the leaders of Democratic Japan, India and Australia – collectively known as the Quad – at the second face-to-face summit.

Biden stressed during the trip, which was partly aimed at tackling China’s growing influence in the region, that the United States would stand by its allies and partners in pushing for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Beijing and Moscow announced an “unrestricted” alliance just weeks before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which China has not condemned.

The two countries have held similar exercises in the past, including what Russia says was their first joint long-range air patrol in the 2019 region.

In August, large-scale military exercises were held in China with the participation of at least 10,000 soldiers.

U.S. officials say they still have no indication that China has provided material support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, a move they have warned could lead to sanctions against China similar to some of the sweeping measures taken. Washington and its allies against Moscow.

Source: AMPE