Russia and China have conducted their second joint 'strategic patrol' by combat aircraft across the Sea of Japan and East China Sea.
Bomber aircraft of both nations participated in the exercise, which highlights the close strategic ties between the two nations. "China sent four H-6K bombers and Russia sent two Tu-95 bombers, as the warplanes formed a formation and patrolled the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea," Global Times quoted China's Ministry of National Defense as saying on Tuesday.
Both Japan and South Korea scrambled fighter jets to track the bombers, which flew over the "disputed Takeshima/Dokdo islands," Japan's Kyodo news agency reported.
The first such strategic patrol by Russia and China happened in July 2019, with bomber aircraft flying over the same water bodies.
"The fact that both two strategic patrols chose the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea indicated that China and Russia have constant and common concerns on the strategic stability in these regions,” Global Times quoted a Chinese analyst as saying.
“As more joint patrols are set in the future, the scale of these patrols could increase, and more types of aircraft, including aerial tankers that could extend the range of other participating aircraft [could take part]," Global Times added.
Both the H-6K and TU-95 can carry long-range cruise missiles capable of attacking both land targets and ships. The H-6K is based on a Soviet-era design.
The Guardian quoted Russia's defence ministry as saying, “'joint mission was intended to 'develop and deepen the comprehensive Russia-China partnership, further increase the level of cooperation between the two militaries, expand their ability for joint action and strengthen strategic stability'”.
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In October this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin had claimed a military alliance between Russia and China cannot be ruled out, though Russia did "not need it" now. Putin had also claimed Russia had shared sensitive military technologies to boost China's military capabilities.
China was the first export buyer of advanced Russian weapons such as the Su-35 multi-role fighter and S-400 air defence system, even though Beijing has been accused of 'copying' and duplicating weapons supplied by Moscow.
