Russia, China Launch Drills in the Pacific

As Chinese and Russian leaders met in Uzbekistan, so did the two nations' navies in the Pacific. Russia's Defense Ministry announced Thursday that Russian and Chinese forces have started joint military exercises in the Pacific Ocean. Warships from the two nations were set to perform drills in tactical maneuvering, signals communication, artillery fire, and shipboard helicopter operations, the ministry said in a statement. The ministry said the joint patrols are aimed at strengthening naval cooperation between China and Russia.