China and Russia begin joint military drills in Ningxia Hui autonomous region

More than 10,000 Chinese and Russian troops gathered at a training base in China’s Ningxia Hui autonomous region on August 9, 2021, for the start of a five-day joint military exercise. The drills focus on counterterrorism and security training and involve the establishment of a joint command centre to improve cooperation between China and Russia. The joint training comes amid the two countries’ deteriorating relations with the US.