Russia-China military cooperation ‘could worry Europe’
Deepened ties such as those displayed in Vostok 2018 war games may make some small countries nervous, says European diplomat
Russia’s military exercises with China this week, though focused on countering the United States, could raise security concerns among European nations, which are now watching to see how Beijing and Moscow might challenge other world powers, military experts have said.
The Vostok 2018 war games, Russia’s largest since 1981 in the Soviet era, involve more than 300,000 troops – including 3,200 from China and a contingent from Mongolia.
Chinese officials said the focus of the drill expanded from the anti-terrorism manoeuvres of previous exercises to counter-attack manoeuvres, development of defence skills as well as the building of mutual trust with Russia.
“The drill has raised the capabilities of the military in both nations to handle security threats,” Shao Yuanming, deputy chief of the joint staff department of the People’s Liberation Army said on Wednesday. “This drill is also an important test of the combat abilities of our military.”
Featuring more than 36,000 Russian military vehicles and 1,000 Chinese vehicles, the exercises, which began on Tuesday and run until Saturday, are being conducted as relations between China and the United States fray, particularly over trade. Russia is also facing US and European Union sanctions that have brought economic pressure and led to a devaluation of the rouble.