TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th July, 2020) Japan's 2020 Defense White Paper published on Tuesday contains assessments of growing Russian-Chinese military cooperation, highlighted in a separate chapter.
"In July 2019, two Russian Tu-95 long-range bombers carried out joint air patrol with two Chinese H-6 bombers from the Sea of Japan to the East China Sea. In September 2019, Russian Minister of Defence Shoigu and, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission Zhang, signed a package of documents on military and military-technical cooperation," the section of the document read.
The White Paper also contains a general overview of the current state of Russian-Chinese relations in the sphere of defense.
The defense ministry noted the growth of Russia's military presence from the Arctic to the middle and the Far East as well. The White Paper traditionally pays attention to increasing activity in the Far East and near a group of four Kuril islands.
"Russia is modernizing its military equipment, including strategic nuclear forces, and is stepping up military activities, so close scrutiny of developments in this regard will be required," the White Paper read.
Russian-Japanese relations have long been complicated by the fact that the two nations have not signed a permanent peace treaty after World War II, as there are still contradictions over Kuril islands that Russia has sovereignty over, but are also claimed by Japan.
