Beijing, Moscow To Continue Improving Military Cooperation - Defense Ministry

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th July, 2019) China and Russia will continue strengthening and improving their cooperation as the two states have entered a new era of relations, the Chinese Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

Russian and Chinese military conducted on Tuesday their first joint patrolling drills by long-range aircraft in the Asia-Pacific region.

"China and Russia have entered a new era of relations and the two countries' military have also entered a new era of cooperation under the strategic leadership of their heads of state," Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said.

The spokesman added that both countries' military would continue to support each other and interact through high-level exchanges, strategic cooperation, military technology development and counterterrorism efforts in order to support the global balance of security and stability.

Following Tuesday's joint military exercises, both Russia and China released statements saying that the drills were not directed against other countries, after the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said earlier that day that a Russian aircraft had illegally crossed into the South Korean airspace twice over the Sea of Japan, an allegation that Moscow has refuted.