China and Russia are holding joint military drills to demonstrate their military might

China announced on Monday that it will hold joint military drills with Russia later this month, continuing their growing military and economic cooperation in response to what they perceive as U.S. dominance in global affairs.

China’s Defense Ministry stated that the “North-Joint 2024” exercises will involve naval and air forces, taking place in the skies and waters around the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk.

“The goal of these exercises is to strengthen the strategic cooperation between the Chinese and Russian militaries and improve their ability to address security threats together,” the ministry said.

The drills will see both nations’ naval fleets conducting joint patrols in specific areas of the Pacific Ocean.

Additionally, China will participate in Russia’s “Ocean-2024” strategic exercise. The Defense Ministry did not provide exact dates for the drills.

In July, China and Russia conducted joint exercises in the waters and airspace near Zhanjiang, in southern China’s Guangdong province. These drills coincided with NATO leaders expressing concern over China’s role as a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, leading Beijing to warn the alliance against “provoking confrontation.”

Later on Monday, China announced that its top diplomat, Wang Yi, would visit Russia this week to attend a security meeting of BRICS, a group of emerging economies.

China and Russia have increasingly deepened their military and economic ties, opposing what they refer to as “Western hegemony.” In 2022, shortly before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the two countries declared a “no limits” partnership.

Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the growing economic and trade links with China during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Moscow, stating that the cooperation was “yielding results.”