China announces military consultations with Russia on this date.

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

**((Arab Sea)) Agencies:** China announced on Wednesday that it will conduct joint military exercises with Russia in August, including naval and air drills near Vladivostok and joint naval patrols in the Pacific Ocean. The exercises, dubbed "Joint Sea-2025," are part of routine plans for bilateral cooperation and "are not directed against third parties," according to Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang during a press conference on Wednesday. He added that the two countries will conduct naval patrols in the Pacific Ocean in their waters after the exercises. "Joint Sea-2024" exercises were conducted last year along the coast of southern China. This year's exercises come ahead of a planned visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to China starting in late August. Putin will attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit and celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, including a military parade, and is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.