China announces joint naval military exercises with Russia and South Africa

MADRID, 19 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Chinese Ministry of Defense announced this Sunday the holding of a second edition of the Mosi-2 joint naval exercises with Russia and South Africa. The military exercises will begin next Monday, February 20, with the aim of reinforcing maritime security and maritime economic activities.

Specifically, they will take place in the eastern South African regions of Durban and Richards Bay for a period of seven days, the Ministry reported in a statement published this Sunday. They will serve to "promote cooperation in the field of defense and security among the BRICS countries and improve the ability of the parties to jointly ensure maritime security."

The destroyer 'Huainan' type 052D, the frigate 'Rizhao' type 054A and the supply ship 'Kekexilihu' type 903A on the Chinese side will participate in these exercises. South Africa is contributing a frigate and two support ships and Russia is contributing a frigate with Zircon hypersonic missiles and a tanker, the Russian news agency TASS reported.

Sources cited by the Chinese official newspaper 'Global Times' have stressed that despite the criticism from the United States and its allies, China has the right to carry out joint maneuvers with any friendly country it chooses and has stressed that these will contribute to peace and stability. in the region protecting maritime routes.

The three countries have common business interests and aim to protect Indian Ocean trade routes from piracy and other threats, according to a Beijing military expert.