China, Russia to hold joint military exercise in May. - Naval Drills in East China Sea

China and Russia will stage joint naval drills in the East China Sea off Shanghai in late May, China's ministry of national defense has said.

The "Joint Sea-2014" drills are regular exercises held by Chinese and Russian navies, and is aimed to enhance practical cooperation between the two militaries and to strengthen their capabilities to jointly deal with maritime security threats, said a report published on the ministry's website.

China and Russia held similar drills off the coast of Russia's Far East last year, which saw seven vessels from China's North Sea Fleet and South Sea Fleet and 12 vessels from Russia's Pacific Fleet take part in the weeklong exercises. 
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/857823.shtml#.U2ICZqJql5Y
1/5/14
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• China, Russia to Hold Naval Drills in East China Sea...

China says it will hold joint naval exercises with Russia later this month in the East China Sea, where Beijing is involved in a territorial dispute with Japan.

A statement by China's Defense Ministry said the "regular exercises" would begin in late May off the coast of Shanghai, well north of the disputed area.

• China and Japan have a longstanding quarrel over a series of uninhabited islands that are surrounded by vast natural resources and strategic shipping lanes.

The dispute worsened in 2012 after Japan purchased some of the islands. China responded by increasing patrols, challenging Tokyo's control of the area.

• China also declared an Air Defense Identification Zone in the East China Sea, but Japan and the U.S. have ignored Beijing's demands that all foreign aircraft identify themselves before entering the zone.

President Barack Obama last week visited Tokyo, where he explicitly stated that Washington is obliged by treaty to defend Japan in the event the islands are attacked.

• Beijing criticized the statement, saying the White House is encouraging Japan to provoke China and is trying to contain Beijing by developing closer military ties with Asian countries.

China, meanwhile, has relatively few close allies in the region. One of its main friends with significant military capabilities is Russia, which has held regular defense drills with China in recent years.

Beijing's Defense Ministry on Thursday described the upcoming naval exercise as regular, noting that it held similar drills last year off Russia's far east coast.  
http://www.voanews.com/content/china-russia-to-hold-naval-drills-in-east-china-sea/1905046.html
1/5/14
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• Senkaku/Diaoyu issue