The United States will be closely monitoring Russia's annual Vostok military exercises as the drills get underway next week with participation of China, National Intelligence Director Dan Coats said at an event in Maryland on Tuesday.
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th September, 2018) The United States will be closely monitoring Russia's annual Vostok military exercises as the drills get underway next week with participation of China, National Intelligence Director Dan Coats said at an event in Maryland on Tuesday.
"We will be watching as China participates this year in Russia's major annual military exercise Vostok 2018 which starts next week," Coats said at an event hosted by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association.
The Vostok-2018 war drills, set to become the largest military exercises held by Russia in the last 37 years, are scheduled to be held from September 11 to September 17.
The US intelligence chief said China's participation in the exercises signals a growing level of cooperation between the two nations.
Coats added that Washington believes Russia is working on expanding its activities to new areas and paying special attention to relationships with China.
The intelligence chief said Washington is now gaining a greater appreciation and understanding of Beijing's growing ambition beyond its usual area of operations.
Almost 300,000 troops will take part in the Vostok-2018 drills, along with tens of thousands of armored vehicles, aircraft and drones. Troops from China and Mongolia will take part in one of the stages.
