China to send troops to Russia for joint military exercises
China will send a contingent of its troops to Russia to participate in joint military exercises involving several other countries, including India, Belarus, Mongolia and Tajikistan, reports Radio Liberty, citing the Chinese Ministry of Defense.
According to the statement of the Chinese Defense Ministry, China's participation in the joint exercises "is not related to the current international and regional situation," probably implying a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, it was noted that the drills were part of the current bilateral annual cooperation agreement.
The Chinese Defense Ministry said that the main goal of the exercises is "deepening pragmatic and friendly cooperation with the armies of the participating countries, increasing the level of strategic interaction between the participating parties and strengthening the ability to respond to various security threats."