The exercises seek to demonstrate the capabilities of both forces to confront security threats
AP, Xinhua and AFP
The newspaper La Jornada
Monday, July 15, 2024, p. 27
Beijing. China and Russia began naval maneuvers yesterday in a military port south of the Asian giant’s territory, reported the official news agency Xinhua, days after the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) accused it of being facilitator of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Chinese and Russian naval fleets recently conducted their fourth joint maritime patrol in waters of the western and northern Pacific Ocean.the Chinese Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
This operation does not target any third party and has no relation to the current international and regional situation.while the AFP agency pointed out that it was an implicit reference to the conflict in Ukraine or to the tensions in the South China Sea involving Beijing and its neighbors.
The exercises, which began in Guangdong province yesterday and are expected to last until mid-July, are intended to demonstrate the naval forces’ ability to confront security threats and preserve peace and global and regional stability, broadcaster CCTV reported, adding that they will include anti-missile exercises, maritime attacks and air defense.
Xinhua added that naval forces conducted military drills with maps and tactical coordination exercises after the opening ceremony in the city of Zhanjiang.
The maneuvers take place after the NATO summit in Washington, whose final communiqué made clear that China is becoming an issue for the alliance and accused Beijing of being a decisive facilitator of Moscow in its war against kyiv.
Alliance members in Europe and North America, along with their Asian partners, are seeing shared fears about Russia and its Asian backers, particularly China.
In response, Beijing accused NATO of seeking security at the expense of others and called on the alliance not to sow the same chaos in Asia. Its foreign ministry maintained that it has a balanced and impartial stance on Ukraine.
Last week, a U.S. Coast Guard ship on a routine patrol in the Bering Sea encountered several Chinese military vessels in international waters but within the exclusive economic zone, according to U.S. officials.
The crew spotted three ships about 200 kilometres north of the Amchitka Pass in the Aleutian Islands, which separate the North Pacific from the Bering Sea. The coastal area off China is the scene of international tensions due to sovereignty disputes between Beijing and several of its neighbours, including Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan, supported by the United States.
The Asian giant has never condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022; instead, it often calls for respect for the territorial integrity of all nations.
