A major row erupted between China and Russia over the location for joint military exercises, a Russian newspaper reported on Thursday.
According to the Kommersant daily, the Russian military had suggested the Xinjiang autonomous region of China, because of the area's problem with Uighur separatists and its proximity to Central Asia, a focus for the international fight against terrorism.
However, Beijing flatly rejected the proposal, and instead suggested Zhejiang Province near Taiwan.
Exercises in this area, the Kommersant noted in its report, "would look too provocative and trigger a strong reaction not only in Taiwan, but in the United States and Japan, which recently included the island in their zone of common strategic interests."
"Beijing is trying to use Russia as an additional lever of pressure on the disobedient island," it said.
However, the official Xinhua news agency reported late on Thursday that the two countries had agreed on details of their first joint military exercise, to be held in autumn, after Russian Chief of General Staff Yury Baluyevsky met his Chinese counterpart,Chief of General Staff Liang Guanglie (梁光烈), in Beijing.
Xinhua said the two generals had agreed on the make-up of troops, arms and equipment for the military exercise.
Due to the Russia's insistence, the exercise was shifted north to the Shandong Peninsula, the Kommersant said.
Baluyevsky said the exercise was aimed at boosting cooperation between the militaries of the two countries and improving training capabilities, reflecting closer ties between the two countries, Xinhua said.
"Russian paratroopers, marines and other forces will take part in the exercise," Baluyevsky was quoted as saying.
Liang also praised what he called the strengthening strategic partnership between China and Russia, Xinhua reported.
"Closer cooperation and exchanges between the two armies are of great importance in promoting the cooperation between the two countries and maintaining regional and international security," Liang was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
The joint exercises had originally been planned for last August.
The exercises will involve Il-76 transport planes carrying paratroopers, Tu-95MS strategic bombers firing cruise missiles at simulated targets in the sea and Su-27SM fighter jets simulating coverage of ground forces, according to Russian media reports.
The exercises are seen as part of Russia's desire to strengthen military cooperation with China, in response to the cooling of relations with the US and other Western nations. China, for its part, has been courting oil-rich Russia as it seeks to diversify its energy sources to feed its booming economy.
Russian military officials have said they also hope to encourage China to buy the bombers involved in the training.
Also see story:
Typhoon Usagi yesterday had weakened into a tropical storm, but a land warning issued by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) was still in effect in four areas in southern Taiwan. As of 5pm yesterday, Tropical Storm Usagi was over waters 120km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost tip of Taiwan proper, and was moving north at 9kph, CWA data showed. The storm was expected to veer northeast later yesterday. It had maximum sustained winds of 101kph, with gusts of up to 126kph, the data showed. The CWA urged residents of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) to remain alert to
ONE LAST TALK: While Xi said that Taiwan was a ‘red line,’ Biden, in what is likely his last meeting with Xi as president, called for an end to China’s military activity around Taiwan China’s military intimidation and economic coercion against Taiwan are the main causes of tensions that are destabilizing peace in the Taiwan Strait, Taipei said yesterday while thanking US President Joe Biden for expressing Washington’s firm stance of maintaining peace and stability in the region. Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) met on Saturday for their third meeting and their first talks in seven months on the sidelines of the APEC forum in Lima, Peru. It was likely Biden’s last meeting as president with Xi. During their conversation, Biden reiterated the US’ opposition to any unilateral change to the “status quo” from either
Taiwan would participate in the 2026 APEC summit to be hosted by China after Beijing promised it would ensure the personal safety of attendees, Taiwanese national security sources said yesterday. The APEC Leaders’ Machu Picchu Declaration announced yesterday said that China would host the APEC summit in 2026. Beijing proposed hosting the summit shortly before this year’s gathering began on Friday, a national security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Many APEC members expressed concerns about China hosting the event and said that prior communication over the decision was insufficient, the official said. Taiwan brought up concerns about legal “guidelines” China announced in
MEET AND GREET: The White House, which called the interaction ‘just a handshake,’ did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Biden planned to visit Taiwan’s envoy to the APEC summit, Lin Hsin-i (林信義), on Friday invited US President Joe Biden to visit Taiwan. During the APEC Leaders’ Informal Dialogue, Lin, who represented President William Lai (賴清德) at the summit, spoke with Biden and expressed gratitude to the outgoing US president for his contribution to improving bilateral ties between Taipei and Washington over the past four years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Lin and Biden exchanged views during the conversation, with Lin extending an invitation to Biden to visit Taiwan, it said. Biden is to step down in January next year, when US president-elect Donald Trump is
RSS