Signs of China-Russia military trust in Vostok 2022 war games, observers say
- Chinese warplanes took off from home soil and flew into Russian airspace during drill, a first for the PLA
- Manoeuvre points to greater coordination between the two sides, analyst says
The eight-day exercises, which ended on Wednesday, “reflected the level of the PLA’s training and readiness for war, and … the advances in national defence and military reform”, the report said.
The PLA sent the second-biggest contingent of the 14 participating countries, including more than 2,000 personnel and over 300 vehicles.
“All forces showcased new improvements in their operations,” said Zhao Jianyou, assistant to the Chinese commander of the joint battle command for the exercise.
It is the fourth time Chinese forces have taken part in Russian strategic war games and second time they have been involved in the Vostok exercise. In addition, it is the first time the PLA has been represented at the event by all three major branches – ground, naval and air forces.