Chinese and Russian military forces will hold joint naval and air exercises in Chinese territory this July, marking further military cooperation between the two nations, Bloomberg reported. According to a statement on Sunday, July 5, from the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, the maneuvers will take place in the waters and airspace near the coastal city of Qingdao.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Following the initial exercises, the naval forces of both countries will conduct a joint maritime patrol in the Pacific Ocean. The Chinese defense ministry stated that the exercises, designated Joint Sea-2026, are part of an annual cooperation plan between the armed forces of the two countries. The ministry claimed the drills are aimed “at addressing security challenges and helping to maintain peace and stability in the region.” The ministry’s statement did not provide specific dates for the exercises or detail the size and composition of the naval and air forces participating. Alleged training of Russian troops The announcement of the Joint Sea-2026 exercises comes shortly after Germany summoned the Chinese ambassador for urgent diplomatic talks on Friday, July 3. The meeting was prompted by reports that Chinese military facilities secretly trained Russian soldiers last year. The German Foreign Ministry confirmed it had requested the meeting following Reuters’ revelations that the training had been personally approved by Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov.