“In early December, the Chinese and Russian militaries held the third joint anti-missile exercise in Russian territory,” the Chinese Defense Ministry announced in a statement Dec. 6. It continued, “This joint exercise does not target any third party and has no connection with the current international and regional situation.”
On Dec. 7 the Global Times article, “Chinese, Russian Militaries Hold 3rd Joint Anti-Missile Exercise, Working Together To Jointly Reinforce Post-World War II Order: Expert,” elaborated on the Defense Ministry’s short statement. It disclosed that China and Russia are now engaged in shared, and apparently integrated, missile defense. It reported that the first joint command and staff anti-missile drill between China and Russia took place in May 2016, and the second joint command and staff anti-missile computer simulation exercise, “Aerospace Security 2017,” took place in Beijing in December 2017, making this the first such exercise carried out in eight years.
Global Times reported: “Just prior to the Ministry of National Defense’s announcement of the third joint anti-missile drill between the Chinese and Russian militaries, according to a release from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from Dec. 1 to 2, at the invitation of Secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council Sergei Shoigu … [Chinese] Foreign Affairs [Minister] Wang Yi traveled to Russia for the 20th round of China-Russia strategic security consultation. The two sides engaged in comprehensive and in-depth discussions on major issues concerning the strategic security interests of both countries.”
Global Times quoted “Chinese military affairs expert” Song Zhongping, who disclosed that Russia and China are now sharing and coordinating anti-missile operations. Song asserted, “Enhancing Cooperation in joint anti-missile operations would be highly beneficial for both nations, and building a shared early missile defense system has become particularly necessary.” Song later stressed: “If any country launches missiles against either nation, the jointly shared early warning systems would alert both countries, enabling their respective missile defense systems to carry out interceptions. The development of the regional missile defense systems can be jointly advanced by the two countries. In the future, if a global missile defense system is established, the two nations could also achieve resource and information sharing.”
