The navies of China and Russia have conducted the third round of planning for a joint exercise in the South China Sea.
Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defence made these remarks at a regular news briefing on August 25, 2016, when asked about more details of the upcoming China-Russia drill in the South China Sea.
The exercise comes at a time of tension in the area after an arbitration court in The Hague ruled that China did not have historic rights to the South China Sea.
Local media reports that both parties have undertaken in-depth coordination on the execution, communications support and logistical support concerning the joint exercise and reached a wide range of agreements.
China’s defense ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said:
“This is a routine exercise between the two armed forces, aimed at strengthening the developing China-Russia strategic cooperative partnership, the exercise is not directed against third parties.”
NATO needs to respond but doing a major naval exercise