China-Russia Military Drills To Counter US Strategic Pressure

Both the Chinese and Russian militaries have declared that they will hold a joint naval drill in the Sea of Japan from July 5 to July 12. In terms of troop size, this is the largest drill ever held by both countries. In reality, the U.S. has been carrying out its “return to the Asia-Pacific” strategy and strengthening the U.S.-Japan military alliance as well as strengthening alliances with other Asian countries. China and Russia are gradually feeling the strategic pressure from the U.S. Only by having closer military cooperation can China and Russia counter this pressure, ward off Japanese military challenges and safeguard national security. China and Russia, as new dominant powers, have comprehensively boosted ties with strategic allies, including political, economic and military partners. This is good for balancing the international situation and promoting global peace and stability.

As the global deployment of the U.S. shifts, the Asia-Pacific region has become its strategic center. The U.S. has continuously strengthened military cooperation with its so-called allies, such as Japan, in the Asia-Pacific region. On the one hand, it has aggressively deployed missile defense systems in Japan — with regard to the issue of sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands and the Kuril Islands between Japan and China and Russia, respectively — and, on the other, it has drawn up cooperative defense plans and often holds military drills to stop Chinese and Russian expansion. With this backdrop, out of consideration for safeguarding their own security, the China-Russia military drill shows the world the determination of both countries to strengthen military cooperation and also demonstrates their power to face new challenges and threats together. The military drill is set to take place in the Peter the Great Gulf in the Sea of Japan. This is the first time a drill has been held in waters close to Japan, clearly sending a signal to counter the U.S.-Japan military alliance and smash the tactical suppression of the U.S.

Last year, the Chinese and Russian navies successfully held a joint military drill in the Yellow Sea. This year’s exercise is an important step in the institutionalization and normalization of such drills. China has sent seven of its most advanced ships to Russia to take part. This is the first time that China has sent such a large and strong fleet to a foreign nation. Russia, on the other hand, has sent out its Su-24M heavy fighter-bombers and Kirov-class submarines, this also being the strongest fleet that Russia has sent out to take part in a joint drill. In the drill, warships from both countries are to turn on their radars, showing that both militaries have high levels of trust in each other. China and Russia, through holding large-scale, high-level and normalized joint drills and strengthening mutual trust between both countries’ militaries, will increase cooperative ability between the two militaries.

The China-Russia joint military drill is the implementation of the consensus between the leaders of both countries. It strengthens and develops China and Russia’s comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership, and it is an important move toward increasing their strategic cooperation level. Besides military cooperation, China and Russia are important countries in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and are also member states of the BRICS. Strategic cooperation between both countries in diplomatic, economic and regional affairs at various levels is increasing. China and Russia are global powers, and their comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership is gradually showing its substance. China and Russia’s cooperation in diplomacy and mutual support on security issues not only boosts their power to face foreign threats together but can also form an important force for effectively resisting U.S. hegemony in order to safeguard regional and global peace and stability.