China, Russia plan joint military drills in South China Sea

China's military said Thursday it will hold joint exercises with Russian forces in the South China Sea, following a recent arbitration ruling that rejected Beijing's claim to almost the entire strategic body of water, ABC news reported.

The air and sea drills will be held sometime in September and were aimed at deepening relations between the two militaries and boosting their capacity to respond to maritime threats, ministry spokesman Col. Yang Yujun said at a monthly news briefing.

Yang said the exercises weren't targeted at any third parties. He didn't disclose the specific location, and some areas of the South China Sea are not disputed.

Chinese ships have challenged vessels from the US, the Philippines and other nations in disputed waters, and China considers the tribunal's ruling earlier this month to be invalid.

Russia and China have held numerous joint drills in recent years, united in a desire to stem American power in the Asia-Pacific region, despite their own lingering mistrust over territory and influence in Central Asia.

Source: MENA