China said Monday it would hold joint military drills with Russia later this month, as the two allies continue to boost military and economic cooperation to counter what they see as U.S. domination in global affairs.
China's Defense Ministry said that naval and air forces will participate in the "North-Joint 2024" exercises in the skies and around the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk.
"This exercise aims to deepen the strategic cooperation level between the Chinese and Russian militaries and enhance their ability to jointly deal with security threats," the ministry said.
The two sides will send naval fleets to "relevant sea areas of the Pacific Ocean" for a joint maritime patrol, and China will also participate in Russia's "Ocean-2024" strategic exercise. China's Defense Ministry did not specify when the drills will take place.
In July, Russia and China held joint drills in the waters and airspace around Zhanjiang, a city in southern China's Guangdong province. Those drills came the same week that NATO leaders warned that China had "become a decisive enabler" of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, prompting Beijing to warn the U.S.-led military bloc against "provoking confrontation."
Later on Monday, Beijing announced that its top diplomat Wang Yi will visit Russia this week for a security meeting of BRICS emerging economies.
The two countries have ramped up military and economic cooperation in recent years, with both railing against "Western hegemony." They declared a "no limits" partnership shortly before Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia's economic and trade links with China were "yielding results" as he met Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Moscow.
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