Drill: Exercise targets ‘varied security threats’

It will be Russia’s largest military exercise since 1981, involving around 300,000 Russian troops, 900 tanks, and 1,000 aircraft, as well as troops from China and Mongolia, according to Russian military authorities.

It is China’s first time participating in an exercise of this kind. It is also the largest Chinese military delegation to join a military exercise in a foreign country.

“The drills are aimed at consolidating and developing the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination,” Wu said.

The exercise will “further strengthen both sides’ ability to jointly deal with varied security threats, which is conducive to safeguarding regional peace and security”, he said.

When asked whether China will be invited to similar future exercises by Russia, Wu said it will depend on the consultation and agreement by both countries, and relevant information will be released in due course.

Wu said Chinese and Russian militaries are also in close communication regarding the “Joint Sea-2018” naval exercises, which are scheduled to take place later this year.

The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed in late August that it will deliver 10 Russian Su-35 multirole fighters to China by year’s end, and “relevant work regarding Sino-Russian cooperation in military technology is going according to plan,” Wu said.

Feng Shaolei, the director of Russian studies at East China Normal University, said joint military exercises are a good way of enhancing mutual understanding and trust between China and Russia, and not a means to create a military alliance.

“China and the Soviet Union had a defense pact during the Cold War, and it brought a lot of unnecessary pressure to China,” he said.

“China is now upholding a new form of security relations based on mutual benefits, respect and cooperation,” Feng said.

“It is not based on ideologies, excluding or targeting adversaries, or placing a country’s own security interests above others like the United States.”

ZHU XINGXIN / CHINA DAILY Members of a cultural exchange delegation dance with a Mongolian ethnic performer in Erdos, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on Thursday. The delegation will travel along the ancient Silk Road and visit Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Poland, the Czech Republic, France and the Netherlands. The event was organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.