Chinese and Russian state media reported on Wednesday that the two countries held joint naval exercises in the South China Sea this week, following increased economic and military cooperation in recent years between Beijing and Moscow.
Both nations reportedly deployed three vessels each to participate in the three-day live-fire event called ‘Maritime Cooperation 2024.'
The maneuvers, which followed a mutual north Pacific patrol, included training related to air defense, artillery operations, and anti-submarine warfare.
Neither government disclosed where, in the disputed waterway, the expedition took place.
The training operation comes as Beijing has been maintaining a sovereign claim over the entire South China Sea, resulting in an aggressive deployment of its military against the navigational efforts of neighboring countries.
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