China and Russia to hold annual joint naval drills two months after Putin's Beijing visit

China and Russia announced joint naval drills on July 5, approximately two months after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China, Channel NewsAsia reported citing Reuters. The exercises are part of the two countries' annual programme of military cooperation, which has continued since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The drills signal the ongoing deepening of the Sino-Russian strategic partnership despite Western sanctions and diplomatic pressure on Moscow.