Russia has announced its joint military drills with China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA) in the disputed South China Sea naming it the 'Joint Sea 2016' which is scheduled from September 12 to 19.
"During the exercise the forces of the Russian Pacific Fleet and the Navy of the People's Liberation Army of China will drill organizing defense of ships at sea and joint assault force landing in the South China Sea," said Russian Navy spokesperson Vladimir Matveyev.
According to the China's defense ministry, the joint military exercise aimed to strengthen the emerging China-Russia tactical partnership but is not directed against third party.
The pronouncement came following the three-day "live-fire" exercise by People's Liberation Army in the Gulf of Tonkin, the northern part of disputed South China Sea. The drills were made at a time when tensions between claimant countries of the South China Sea, especially Philippines and Vietnam, have been heightened.
However, China's maritime safety administration said that drills are only part of the PLA Navy's routine combat exercises.
Last week, the People's Liberation Army Navy held similar combat drills in the international waters near the Sea of Japan.
