U.S. Strategic Command chief Adm. Charles Richard isn’t just worried about Chinese ICBMs. He’s also worried about what he thinks the implications of the developing Russian-Chinese military relationship are. “I think it’s a mistake to think about them in isolation of each other,” Richard stated, citing a series of recent military exercises between the two powers. “The continued defense relationship should not be underestimated or ignored, and I don’t think our national intellectual capacity has been sufficiently engaged to consider all the ramifications here.”
Richard, in fact, was speaking as the PLA and Russia’s Eastern Military District were wrapping their joint exercise in northern China. Both the Chinese and Russian defense ministers highly praised the exercise as a success. “These drills have great significance,” Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe said yesterday, reported RT. “These are the first joint drills organized in China since the outbreak of the epidemic. And these are the first-ever Chinese operational and strategic maneuvers with the participation of Russian troops.”
Wei went on to explain that the exercises reflect the “unwavering support between China and Russia,” noting the development of inter-army ties at a “high level.”
“This fully demonstrates the close relationship between China and Russia, the unbreakable bond between the Chinese and Russian armed forces, and the strong and enduring friendship between us personally,” Wei said, talking to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Shoigu, for his part, observed the troops’ coherent operations and the high professionalism of the participants in the joint maneuvers and awarded the personnel who had distinguished themselves during the drills.
