By South China Morning Post | Created at 2024-11-29 05:04:53 | Updated at 2024-11-29 08:31:37
3 hours ago
China and Russia conducted a joint aerial patrol over the Sea of Japan on Friday, China’s defence ministry said.
It was the ninth joint strategic aerial patrol between the two militaries since 2019, and the ministry said the patrols were based on an annual plan of bilateral military cooperation.
During the previous operation in July, the two countries’ militaries conducted a joint air patrol over the Bering Sea. Two Russian Tu-95 and two Chinese H-6 bombers were spotted off the coast of the US state of Alaska, the first time they held such an exercise in the area.
The patrol in July was held in international airspace, and was intercepted by US and Canadian fighter jets under Norad’s lead, the binational command between the United States and Canada.
China said then that such patrols were not aimed at any third party, in line with international practice, and were unrelated to the current international and regional situation.
