China plans naval exercises with Russia, South Africa

Johannesburg: China said it will hold naval exercises with Russia and South Africa later this month to protect maritime economic activities, Bloomberg reported.

The drills will be held Feb. 20-27 off Durban and Richards Bay, South Africa, the Defense Ministry in Beijing said in a statement on Sunday, adding China would send a destroyer, a frigate and a supply vessel.

The operations are also intended to promote defence and security cooperation among BRICS members, the ministry said.

The drills come as the US has recently begun seeing “disturbing” trendlines in China’s support for Russia’s military and there are signs that Beijing wants to “creep up to the line” of providing lethal military aid to Russia without getting caught, US officials familiar with the intelligence told CNN.