China sent several warships and 15 aircraft to waters off Russia’s Far East coast for Ocean-2024, according to the Russian military. The latest Russia-China military drills fit a pattern of more than a decade of enhanced military coordination between the two countries, experts say. The joint drills also raise questions about whether the two nuclear-armed powers, which are not treaty allies, could act together in any potential future conflict. Russian military sailors attend the opening ceremony for a joint naval exercise in the South China Sea in July. But observers say that despite the growing coordination within joint drills, it’s unlikely there is a clear end goal past sending a strong signal – at least for now.

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Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Xi Jinping, Sergei Bobylev, Xi, ’, “ They’re, ”, Alexander Korolev, Washington’s, Carl Schuster, Korolev, it’s “, Elizabeth Wishnick, “, Russia –, James Char, Schuster Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Kremlin, Canadian, Putin, NATO, Sputnik, Reuters, Soviet, Center for Strategic, International Studies, CNN, Russian, CSIS, University of New, US Navy, Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Center, Russian Defense Ministry, Beijing, South China, Pacific Security Affairs Division, CNA, India, Nanyang Technological University’s Institute of Defense, Strategic Studies, China, Navy Locations: China, Hong Kong, United States, Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, East, Ocean, Russian, Japan, Alaska –, South China, Beijing, Washington, Taiwan, Soviet Union, Communist China, Alaska, Pacific, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Asia, Germany, Philippines, South, Iran, lockstep, Nanyang, Singapore