China and Russia began a joint military exercise on Sunday in the South China Sea. This came shortly after NATO allies accused Beijing of significantly supporting the conflict in Ukraine. According to the Chinese defense ministry, naval units from both nations conducted patrols in the western and northern Pacific oceans on Sunday.
The joint military drill named “Exercise Joint Sea-2024” was commenced at a military port located in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, southern part of the country. The naval forces conducted military simulations and coordinated tactical manoeuvres during the exercise, as reported by China Central Television (CCTV).
The joint military exercise began on Sunday and was wrapped up on Tuesday, lasting three days. This was their fourth military patrol together, further enhancing their military cooperation amidst diplomatic accusations against both countries prevailing in the West.
In a brief statement, the Chinese Defence Ministry assured that these drills do not target any third party and do not point towards any other regional happenings. However, it is to be noted that both countries now have sanctions by the United States upon them.
China and Russia have conducted numerous Joint Sea exercises since 2012, and their joint maritime patrols have taken place four times since 2021. It points out that these collaborative naval operations between Both the countries are regular occurrences.
China under scrutiny by the West
On Wednesday, a statement was released by NATO members enlisting steps to enhance Ukraine’s defenses against Russia, and it was endorsed by all 32 members at their summit in Washington.
The statement also emphasized that Beijing is on watch by the alliance. NATO members go on to call out Beijing as a “decisive enabler” of the ongoing war of Russia against Ukraine. The statement clearly underscores the apprehensions of the West regarding China’s stance towards the war. The NATO member countries expressed that being a provider of the “no-limits partnership”, Beijing is enabling the war from the Russian side.
European and North American members, alongside their Indo-Pacific partners, are growingly acknowledging shared security challenges emanating from Russia and its allies in Asia, particularly China.
In response, China accused NATO of focusing only on its own security interests at the expense of others. The country went on criticising the alliance and expressed caution against them introducing similar “chaos” to Asia. The Chinese foreign ministry further made it clear that Beijing maintains a fair and impartial stance regarding the war in Ukraine.
China and Russia bolstering ties in recent times
The two large countries share a long yet complex history. Both countries have phases of cooperation and intense strategic competition. Recent enhanced cooperation between the two large neighbours can be seen more as a result of their alignment being motivated by their mutual rivalry with the United States than by intrinsic affinity.
In 2022, a “no-limits” partnership between the neighboring countries was announced during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing shortly before the invasion of Ukraine. China refrained from criticising the invasion and has boosted its exports to Russia. The recent trade ties can be seen as China supporting Moscow’s wartime economy as the Russian economy crumbled amidst the sanctions from the West.
Although both Russia and China have trade and diplomatic ties, it cannot be inferred that these are robust in nature. It is clear that their cooperation in international institutions is motivated by their joint attempts to counter the US-led narratives.
Russia, being India’s closest partner on many fronts, should view these developments with caution as New Delhi maintains long-standing unresolved border disputes with China.
