Chinese, Russian troops join war games
(AP)
Updated: 2005-08-23 15:15

Nearly 9,000 Russian and Chinese troops began a mock assault on the beaches of East China Tuesday in the final stage of unprecedented joint war games between the two giant neighbours, the Associated Press reported.

The live-fire exercise, dubbed "Peace Mission 2005," involves about 7,000 Chinese troops and 1,800 Russians, along with warships, warplanes and amphibious tanks.

Operations began with a simulated naval blockade off the coast of the Shandong Peninsula in the Yellow Sea, southeast of Beijing, Xinhua News Agency reported.

China Central Television showed ships and warplanes firing missiles and rockets while military music blared from shipboard speakers.

Chinese participants included three destroyers, three frigates and one submarine, along with naval aircraft, Xinhua said. They were joined by an anti-submarine vessel, missile destroyer, helicopters and a surveillance plane from the Russian navy, it said.

Top Chinese and Russian generals have sought to reassure the region that the exercises aren't directed against any third nation.

The eight-day exercises were inaugurated last week in the Russian port of Vladivostok; they end Thursday.

The war games reflect strengthening ties between Russia and China over shared concerns about U.S. dominance of world affairs. U.S. officials have said they are watching the exercises closely and hope they will help support regional stability.

Russia is also seeking to sell more arms to China, one of its leading customers, including long-range strategic bombers able to carry nuclear weapons.

The exercises are the first major drills solely involving Russian and Chinese forces, although they have previously joined in border security exercises with other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Defense ministers and other observers from SCO states were on hand to witness the exercises, according to People's Liberation Army Daily.

Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov was headed to China to watch soldiers stage an amphibious landing and simulate a battle to capture a coastal area on Wednesday and Thursday, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported from Moscow.