The navies of China and Russia will hold their first ever joint1 landing drills during a large-scale naval2 exercise later this month in the Sea of Japan.
本月晚些时候,中国与俄罗斯海军在日本海举行大规模海军演习期间将进行首次联合登陆演习。
Experts say this reflects the deepened military cooperation between the two sides.
The two countries will conduct their largest joint Pacific exercise from August 20 to 28.
According to the plan, phase II of Joint Sea Exercise 2015 will be held in both the Sea of Japan and off the coast of Russian region of Primorsky - about 250 miles away from Japan.
Military
commentator3 Song Xiaojun says the location of the exercise is of strategic significance.
"The situation in the Sea of Japan has become
volatile4 especially after US President Barack Obama announced the so-called Return to Asia plan three years ago and enhanced assistance to Japan. Taking into account Japan's latest move to lift the ban on the right to collective
defense5 that strengthens the Japan-US alliance and Russia-US
confrontation6 in East Europe, tensions in the sea area may
escalate7. Meanwhile, the area neighbors Russia's sparsely-populated Far East and China's northeast that is undergoing
rejuvenation8, so both China and Russia want to enhance defense there."
Joint exercises between the two navies have become regular in recent years as part of the
bilateral9 efforts for closer ties.