A Chinese military vehicle during an exercise in Russia in 2018
Photo:
Uncredited/ dpa
Chinese troops will take part in joint military exercises in Russia at the end of August.
This was announced by the Chinese Defense Ministry.
India, Belarus, Mongolia, Tajikistan and other countries are also said to be involved in the maneuver.
China's participation in the joint exercises has "nothing to do with the current international and regional situation," the ministry said in a statement.
The Russian government had announced the "Vostok" maneuver from August 30 to September 5 in July.
China's Defense Ministry said the participation is part of an ongoing bilateral annual cooperation agreement with Russia.
Under Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Beijing and Moscow had come ever closer.
The military exercise is likely to be closely watched in the West in light of Russia's war against Ukraine.
Shortly before the start of the war on February 24, Beijing and Moscow announced a "borderless" partnership.
Not the first Russian-Chinese maneuvers
In August 2021, Russia and China held joint military exercises in north-central China, attended by more than 10,000 troops.
Then in October, Russia and China held joint naval maneuvers in the Sea of Japan.
A few days later, Russian and Chinese warships conducted their first joint patrols in the western Pacific.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has also fueled fears that Beijing might adopt a similar approach in its dealings with Taiwan.
Most recently, China reacted sharply to a visit by Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
China held cross-strait military maneuvers and announced new ones after more members of Congress arrived in the Taiwanese capital Taipei on Monday.
hba/Reuters