الصين وروسيا تبدأن مناورات بحرية مشتركة في بحر الصين الجنوبي

China and Russia have commenced joint naval exercises in the South China Sea, specifically in Guangdong province in southern China. The training started shortly after the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., where Beijing was referred to as a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s actions in Ukraine. According to the Chinese Ministry of Defense, both sides have been patrolling the western and northern Pacific Ocean and the operation is not related to the international or regional situation, nor is it directed towards any specific third party. While China mentioned that the exercises will continue until mid-July, the Russian Defense Ministry specified that they will take place from July 15-17. The number of participating ships, troops, and weapons has not been disclosed.

These drills will focus on missile defense, air defense, and sea strike training to demonstrate the navies’ capabilities in dealing with security threats to global and regional stability. The NATO summit recently declared that China is emerging as a significant force within the military alliance, accusing it of actively aiding Russia in its war against Ukraine. China responded to these claims by accusing NATO of prioritizing its own security over others and urged the alliance not to cause “chaos” in the Asian region. The Chinese Foreign Ministry maintains that its stance on the Ukrainian conflict is fair and impartial. Notably, in January 2024, the People’s Liberation Army Navy of China conducted exercises using anti-ship missiles covering a significant portion of the Yellow Sea.

ملخص الأخبار

• مناورات شملت تدريبات مواجهة الصواريخ والدفاع الجوي وضربات بحرية.
• قمة حلف الناتو اتهمت الصين بتمكين روسيا في حربها ضد أوكرانيا.
• الصين تتهم الناتو بالتفضيل لأمنها على حساب الآخرين وتحثه على عدم إثارة “الفوضى” في آسيا.