US "Closely Tracking" Russia-China Joint Drills In East China Sea

The US, along with its allies and partners, is closely monitoring the joint naval exercises of China and Russia in the East China Sea, the US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) said on Friday.

Earlier this week, the Russian Defense Ministry said that a detachment of ships from Russia's Pacific Fleet had sailed toward the East China Sea to participate in Russian-Chinese naval drills from December 21-27.

"Alongside our Allies and partners, we are closely tracking the military activities of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea, as well as the ongoing Russia-China exercise in the East China Sea," the US military said in a statement .

The Indo-Pacific Command said that it continues operations in the region "to maintain peace and stability; uphold international law, including freedom of navigation and overflight, and support unimpeded commerce and other lawful uses of the sea."

"We continue to oppose any military pressure or coercion against our Allies and partners in the region. The United States has been very clear: we will continue to be forthright in opposing any behavior that challenges and bends the rules which the international community has relied upon to maintain stability and peace," the statement added.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry said joint missile and artillery firing at aerial targets, artillery firing at naval targets, as well as practising joint anti-submarine warfare with the practical use of weapons are planned during the exercise.

"The main purpose of the exercises is to strengthen naval cooperation between the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China and to maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region," the ministry said.

The first naval maneuvers involving the Russian and Chinese fleets took place in August 2005 in the Yellow Sea. At the time, they were part of a large-scale military exercise, Peace Mission 2005, organised under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

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