BEIJING, July 17 -- "We hope that relevant parties can view China-Russia military cooperation objectively and rationally, and stop making groundless speculation and cease smearing and hyping," said Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense (MND), at a press briefing on Friday.

The Chinese and Russian navies recently conducted Exercise Joint Sea 2026 in the waters and airspace near Qingdao. The participating troops from the two sides carried out drills on multiple subjects including joint reconnaissance and air and missile defense, and successfully accomplished all tasks. Currently, the two sides have transitioned to a joint maritime patrol.

Some analysts suggest that the events coincide with a series of joint exercises conducted by the U.S. and its allies, showing that China and Russia are committed to reshaping the West-dominated world order.

As a response, Senior Colonel Jiang said that these activities are arrangements within the annual cooperation plan between the Chinese and Russian militaries, which are aimed at enhancing the two militaries' joint operational capabilities in jointly dealing with maritime security threats. They are not related to the current international or regional situation.

"It must be emphasized that China-Russia military cooperation follows the principles of non-alliance, non-confrontation, and not targeting any third party. It plays an important role in safeguarding the two nations' sovereignty and security and upholding international and regional peace and stability," noted the spokesperson.