MOSCOW - Russia and China will hold joint military maneuvers on Chinese territory next year involving their air forces and navies, Russia's defense minister said on Monday.
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Sergei Ivanov, speaking at a cabinet session chaired by President Vladimir Putin, said that the exercise would involve submarines and possibly strategic bombers, the Interfax and ITAR-Tass news agencies reported.
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"For the first time in history, we have agreed to hold quite a large military exercise together with China on Chinese territory in the second half of the year," Ivanov said, according to ITAR-Tass.
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"The Russian side will not bring big numbers of servicemen, but mostly state-of-the art weapons - navy, air, long-range aviation, submarines to practice interaction with China in different forms of military maneuvers," he reported to Putin.
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Putin then asked whether Russian strategic bombers would take part in the exercise. "It's not excluded," Ivanov answered.
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After decades of bitter rivalry, Moscow and Beijing have developed what they describe as a strategic partnership in the dozen years since the collapse of the Soviet Union. China has become the main customer for Russia's defense industry, purchasing billions of dollars worth of fighters, missiles, submarines and destroyers.
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Officials with Russia's state arms-trading company, Rosoboronexport, said last week that China is expected to sign contracts for the purchase of Russia's most advanced fighter jets.
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Both nations have frequently spoken about their adherence to a "multi-polar world," a term that refers to their opposition to a perceived U.S. domination in global affairs.
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Some observers have speculated that Russia, which has had a falling out with the West over Ukraine's presidential election, could respond by trying to forge a closer partnership with China.
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Russia has staunchly backed Ukraine's prime minister, Viktor Yanukovych, fearing that his rival, Viktor Yushchenko, would bring the nation closer to the West and away from the Russian orbit.
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Pavel Felgenhauer, an independent military analyst who long has followed Russian-Chinese military cooperation, said the announced exercise was clearly intended to show Moscow's irritation with the West.
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"It's a symbolic gesture aimed at the United States, intended to show that Russia has other allies," Felgenhauer said.
.MOSCOW Russia and China will hold joint military maneuvers on Chinese territory next year involving their air forces and navies, Russia's defense minister said on Monday.
.
Sergei Ivanov, speaking at a cabinet session chaired by President Vladimir Putin, said that the exercise would involve submarines and possibly strategic bombers, the Interfax and ITAR-Tass news agencies reported.
.
"For the first time in history, we have agreed to hold quite a large military exercise together with China on Chinese territory in the second half of the year," Ivanov said, according to ITAR-Tass.
.
"The Russian side will not bring big numbers of servicemen, but mostly state-of-the art weapons - navy, air, long-range aviation, submarines to practice interaction with China in different forms of military maneuvers," he reported to Putin.
.
Putin then asked whether Russian strategic bombers would take part in the exercise. "It's not excluded," Ivanov answered.
.
After decades of bitter rivalry, Moscow and Beijing have developed what they describe as a strategic partnership in the dozen years since the collapse of the Soviet Union. China has become the main customer for Russia's defense industry, purchasing billions of dollars worth of fighters, missiles, submarines and destroyers.
.
Officials with Russia's state arms-trading company, Rosoboronexport, said last week that China is expected to sign contracts for the purchase of Russia's most advanced fighter jets.
.
Both nations have frequently spoken about their adherence to a "multi-polar world," a term that refers to their opposition to a perceived U.S. domination in global affairs.
.
Some observers have speculated that Russia, which has had a falling out with the West over Ukraine's presidential election, could respond by trying to forge a closer partnership with China.
.
Russia has staunchly backed Ukraine's prime minister, Viktor Yanukovych, fearing that his rival, Viktor Yushchenko, would bring the nation closer to the West and away from the Russian orbit.
.
Pavel Felgenhauer, an independent military analyst who long has followed Russian-Chinese military cooperation, said the announced exercise was clearly intended to show Moscow's irritation with the West.
.
"It's a symbolic gesture aimed at the United States, intended to show that Russia has other allies," Felgenhauer said.
.MOSCOW Russia and China will hold joint military maneuvers on Chinese territory next year involving their air forces and navies, Russia's defense minister said on Monday.
.
Sergei Ivanov, speaking at a cabinet session chaired by President Vladimir Putin, said that the exercise would involve submarines and possibly strategic bombers, the Interfax and ITAR-Tass news agencies reported.
.
"For the first time in history, we have agreed to hold quite a large military exercise together with China on Chinese territory in the second half of the year," Ivanov said, according to ITAR-Tass.
.
"The Russian side will not bring big numbers of servicemen, but mostly state-of-the art weapons - navy, air, long-range aviation, submarines to practice interaction with China in different forms of military maneuvers," he reported to Putin.
.
Putin then asked whether Russian strategic bombers would take part in the exercise. "It's not excluded," Ivanov answered.
.
After decades of bitter rivalry, Moscow and Beijing have developed what they describe as a strategic partnership in the dozen years since the collapse of the Soviet Union. China has become the main customer for Russia's defense industry, purchasing billions of dollars worth of fighters, missiles, submarines and destroyers.
.
Officials with Russia's state arms-trading company, Rosoboronexport, said last week that China is expected to sign contracts for the purchase of Russia's most advanced fighter jets.