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China, RF to hold joint naval exercises in April or May – official

Now the parties are working on planning and preparing the exercises, he added

BEIJING, March 29 (Itar-Tass) — China and Russia will hold joint naval exercises in April or May, an official of the Chinese Defence Ministry, Yang Jiechi, said on Thursday.

The official said an agreement to conduct joint exercises between the Navies of China and Russia had been reached in August 2011 in the course of chief of China’s General Staff Chen Binde’s visit to Russia. “The exercises are aimed at further strengthening strategic partnership between China and Russia, stepping up joint response to new challenges and threats, ensuring peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific Region and in the entire world,” the official stressed.

Now the parties are working on planning and preparing the exercises, he added.

Yang recalled that since 2005 the armed forces of China and Russia had conducted joint exercises several times within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The manoeuvres “played a positive role in ensuring peace and stability in the region and all around the world”, the Chinese official said.