The Diplomat:
China and Russia kicked off a joint anti-ballistic missile defense computer-simulated command post exercise in Beijing on December 11, the Chinese Ministry of Defense (MoD) said in a statement. The drill, dubbed Airspace Security 2017, is the second such exercise held by the two countries and is expected to conclude on December 16.
The Sino-Russian drill coincides with a joint two-day ballistic missile defense exercise involving the militaries of the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), and Japan. The Airspace Security 2017 exercise aims to bolster anti-missile defense cooperation between China and Russia, including planning joint missile defense operations.
The exercise is “a pragmatic gesture of important mutual understanding in terms of bolstering Russian-Chinese cooperation in air defense reached by the two countries’ leaders,” the Chinese MoD statement reads. This includes strengthening joint responses to regional ballistic and cruise missile threats.
