At the Qingtongxia training ground in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the closing ceremony of Sibu/Interaction 2021 joint exercise was held with the participation of units of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and the Russian Army contingent from the Eastern Military districts. The event was attended by the top leadership of the Chinese Armed Forces, the command of the joint headquarters of the exercise leadership, military personnel of the land forces and operational-tactical aviation of the two countries, as well as military personnel of the artillery, air defence and airborne troops of the PLA.
The Sibu/Interaction 2021 Russian-Chinese strategic drills ran on the territory of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwestern China on August 9-13. According to the data of the Russian Defense Ministry, the drills brought together over 10,000 troops, around 200 pieces of armor, 90 artillery guns, more than 100 fixed-and rotary-wing aircraft. They involved units of the Chinese Army and Air Force. Russia was represented in the drills by motor rifle units of a military formation of the Eastern Military District, Su-30SM aircraft of the District’s Air Force and Air Defense Army and officers of military command centers.
Chinese Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu observed the exercise and held talks later in the day. The Chinese and Russian armed forces have supported each other in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the high-level development of relations between the two militaries. The two militaries should enhance strategic coordination and comprehensive and practical cooperation, so as to make greater contributions to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, and safeguarding world peace and stability.
Russia is willing to enhance strategic communication with China, deepen cooperation in areas such as counterterrorism and work together to safeguard regional peace and stability. The two ministers announced the conclusion of the exercise in the afternoon of the day. The exercise was the first joint military exercise held in China since the COVID-19 outbreak. A five-day joint military exercise between China and Russia, named Sibu/Interaction 2021, concluded Friday in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
