BEIJING, August 13. /TASS/. The Armed Forces of China and Russia will strengthen inter-army cooperation for the purpose of protecting peace and stability on the planet, China’s Defense Minister Wei Fenghe said on Friday, following the results of the Sibu/Interaction 2021 joint Russian-Chinese strategic drills.

"The world has been swept by a large-scale pandemic and is witnessing a lot of changes. In these conditions, the armies of China and the Russian Federation will strengthen strategic interaction and comprehensive pragmatic cooperation," the Chinese Defense Ministry quoted Wei Fenghe as saying on the WeChat social network.

"We will make another considerable contribution to maintaining peace and stability on our planet," China’s defense chief stressed.

The Armed Forces of China and Russia continue moving forward, even despite the pandemic, Wei Fenghe said.

The contacts between the Chinese and Russian armies are being strengthened successfully thanks to the efforts and correct strategic decisions by the leaders of both countries, he stressed.

The Sibu/Interaction 2021 Russian-Chinese strategic drills ran on the territory of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwestern China on August 9-13. According to the data of the Russian Defense Ministry, the drills brought together over 10,000 troops, around 200 pieces of armor, 90 artillery guns, more than 100 fixed-and rotary-wing aircraft. They involved units of the Chinese Army and Air Force. Russia was represented in the drills by motor rifle units of a military formation of the Eastern Military District, Su-30SM aircraft of the District’s Air Force and Air Defense Army and officers of military command centers.

The maneuvers were designed to demonstrate the mutual resolve to strengthen inter-army ties and comprehensive strategic partnership and ramp up cooperation between the armed forces of both countries.