Russia-China drills aimed at safeguarding post-war international order

BEIJING, August 24. /TASS/. The large-scale Russia-China naval drills dubbed Joint Sea 2015 are aimed at preserving the post-war international order rather than at creating a military alliance, the Global Times has reported.

The West’s concerns that Russia and China are using the exercises to "flex their military muscles to counter the US and Japan" is misconception, the authors of the report say.

"China and Russia have launched the drills to cope with maritime security threats and have no intention to target the US-Japan alliance," it stresses. "Military collaboration is one dimension of China-Russia cooperation but some countries have drawn the conclusion that the two sides are stepping up efforts to forge an alliance."

The largest joint naval drills are split into two phases, the first of which was held in May, shortly after Russia’s Red Square military parade, and the other is being held now just a few days before China’s military parade in Tiananmen Square.

"The drills have been conducted on the special dates in order to emphasize the determination of the two countries to safeguard the post-war international order. China and Russia are hoping to use the joint drills as part of the efforts to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII," the report says.

The active phase of military exercises began on August 23 off the coast of Vladivostok, in Russia’s Far East. The drills feature 22 warships, 20 aircraft, more than 500 marines and 40 units of armored vehicles. A parade of vessels in Peter the Great Gulf will be held after the exercises, on August 28.

The first phase of the exercises in the Mediterranean involved around ten Russian and Chinese warships, including the guided missile cruiser The Moskva. The purpose was to practice joint operations to maintain the safety of shipping in the world ocean and enhance practical interaction between the two countries.