China to join Russia military exercises as US rivals deepen ties

Building on a ‘no limits’ pact, the Russian and Chinese militaries are expected to drill side-by-side this month in Russia’s far east.

China's People's Liberation Army conduct a missile test into the waters off the eastern coast of Taiwan earlier this month. Picture: Reuters

China’s People’s Liberation Army said it is set to join military exercises led by Russia, in the latest demonstration of partnership between the two US rivals.

Building on a “no limits” pact their presidents signed this year, the Russian and Chinese militaries are expected to drill side-by-side starting later this month in the Russian Far East, according to China’s Ministry of Defence.

The exercises will mark their second joint show of force in the region this year after bombers from each country in May conducted a 13-hour drill close enough to Japan and South Korea that those nations scrambled jet fighters, at a time when President Joe Biden was visiting Tokyo.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence didn’t immediately respond to a request for confirmation of whether China would participate in the exercises, which are scheduled August 30 to September 5.

Last month, the Russian ministry said units of its Eastern Military District, in the nation’s Far East near the borders of China and North Korea, as well as airborne, long range aviation and military transport aviation personnel and equipment, would participate in training manoeuvres along with military contingents from other states it didn’t name. Reports said India, Belarus, Tajikistan, Mongolia and other nations would join, though Russia hasn’t confirmed the participants.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Picture: AFP

The Russian invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in February, and recent Chinese live fire exercises around Taiwan, have elevated military tensions this year and put both Moscow and Beijing on the receiving end of criticism from Washington.

Rather than formal treaty allies, China and Russia appear aligned primarily over shared interests, including a desire to check global dominance of the US, according to analysts.

China has declined to criticise or publicly endorse Russia’s Ukraine invasion, which began shortly after Chinese leader Xi Jinping hosted his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Beijing and they signed a lengthy joint statement that rejected the US-led global political order. After Beijing practiced a possible military blockade of Taiwan this month in response to a visit to the island by House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Kremlin blamed the US for heightening tensions.

Mr Putin this week called Ms Pelosi’s visit a “thoroughly planned provocation” by the US to sow chaos. The remarks were welcomed by China’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, where a spokesman said they demonstrate “high-level strategic co-ordination between China and Russia, and the firm support the two countries have rendered each other on issues concerning their core interests.”

A Chinese J-16. Picture: Supplied

Clear limits exist in the Russia-China relationship, which has often been deeply troubled in the past. Beijing has criticised Western governments for cutting trade relations with Russia in an effort to penalise Moscow for the Ukraine invasion and continued to buy its energy exports, but many of China’s biggest government companies have also appeared to quietly abide by some of the sanctions.

The Russian and Chinese militaries have practiced together on various occasions in recent years, often sparking protests from the US and other nations. Details are limited about the coming military exercises, which are known as Vostok 2022, referring to the Russian word for East. Moscow hosts similar large-scale war games annually and rotates them between different regions.

China’s three-sentence statement said the coming event aims to deepen practical and friendly co-operation between participating countries and is unrelated to the “current international and regional situation,” likely referring to Ukraine and Taiwan.

They follow a series of similar military exercises in Asia, where China’s air force in recent days has flown alongside Thai jets and U.S. Army troops have practiced in Indonesia with allied forces, including Australia and Japan.

An anti-surface gunnery is fired from a Chinese navy missile frigate. Picture: AP

When Russia hosted Vostok exercises in 2018, it described the scale as unprecedented since the Soviet era. It said 300,000 troops participated along with 1000 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, 80 ships, and 36,000 tanks, armoured and other vehicles.

As a first-time participant in the Vostok exercises in 2018, China said it sent 3200 soldiers, along with more than 1000 pieces of weaponry and 30 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.

Russia’s Defence Ministry has sought to play down the participation of other states in the coming exercises and wave off doubt about its military capabilities as it suffers the high costs of prosecuting its war in Ukraine. In July, Russian officials warned “that a number of foreign media are spreading inaccurate information about alleged mobilisation activities.” They said that only part of Russia’s armed forces was involved in Moscow’s military action in Ukraine and the number was sufficient enough to fulfil Mr. Putin’s goals in the campaign.

The Wall Street Journal