China sends troops to Russia for joint exercise
Chinese soldiers will leave for Russia in order to participate in a joint military exercise with Russian and military personnel from other countries, including India, Belarus, and Tajikistan, the Chinese Ministry of Defense announced today.
China's participation in joint exercises "is not related to the current international and regional situation", the statement said.
It is pointed out that the exercises are part of a bilateral annual cooperation agreement.
In the past years, similar military exercises led by Russia, where China also participated, have been held.
"The goal is to deepen the practical and friendly cooperation with the armies of the participating countries, to improve the level of strategic cooperation between the participants and to increase the ability to respond to various security threats," the announcement reads.