[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] From the 9th to the 13th, China and Russia will share the latest weapons and equipment of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) for the first time during joint military exercises held in China. This is seen as an indication that the military cooperation between China and Russia against the United States is moving toward a quasi-alliance level.
The Global Times reported on the 5th that Russian soldiers participating in the "Western Union-2021 Exercise" at the Qingtongxia Joint Tactical Training Base in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China, along with five SU-30 fighter jets and other equipment, arrived in Ningxia, China, on the 31st of last month.
According to the Global Times citing a Russian military announcement, Russian soldiers participating in the exercise have, for the first time, mastered the use of the latest models of military equipment and weapons such as China's medium-weight tanks and armored vehicles during the training preparation process.
The weapons supplied to the Russian military for this exercise included China's "Type 11 assault gun" and "Type 8 infantry fighting armored vehicle."
During the "Caucasus-2020" exercise held last September in Astrakhan Oblast on the Caspian coast of Russia, the Chinese military received and used major combat weapons and equipment from the Russian military, including the T-72B3 tank, BMP-3 infantry fighting armored vehicle, and Igla-S surface-to-air missiles.
Chinese military expert Wei Dongxu said, "The mutual exchange of weapons and equipment in the China-Russia joint exercises reflects mutual trust," adding, "Both sides will better understand each other's combat methods and form a better tacit understanding regarding future joint exercises and counter-terrorism missions."
Additionally, the Global Times reported that the Chinese military will also dispatch the HQ-17, one of the most powerful brigade-level surface-to-air missile systems, to the exercise.
According to a statement from the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, the two countries' militaries plan to establish a joint command headquarters during this exercise, deploying over 10,000 troops combined, along with various military aircraft, artillery, and armored vehicles, to test joint reconnaissance and early warning capabilities, electronic information attacks, and joint strike capabilities.
The troops will mainly consist of forces from the PLA's Western Theater Command for China and the Eastern Military District for Russia.
Meanwhile, the Global Times editorial stated that the recent military exercises conducted by the United States are aimed at China and Russia, emphasizing that "the United States' 'large-scale' military exercises cannot intimidate China and Russia."
The U.S. Navy announced on the 3rd that it had begun the "Large-Scale Exercise (LSE) 2021," involving five fleets across 17 time zones.
Running until the 16th, this exercise is considered the largest naval exercise since 1981, during the height of the Cold War.
The Global Times reported that the U.S. Navy intends to demonstrate to China and Russia that it can respond to enemies simultaneously in the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, South China Sea, and East China Sea through this exercise.
The newspaper dismissed this by saying, "No matter how many warships the United States sends to the South China Sea, they will only be a flock of rabbits having a party under the aim of China's hunting rifles."
The media also urged, "China must further strengthen its nuclear capabilities to establish ultimate deterrence against the United States."
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