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IHT: Sino-Russian Joint Military Exercise Has Obvious Intention to Contend with U.S. and Japan

Hu Siyuan, a professor at the PLA National Defense University, published an opinion piece in Xinhua’s International Herald Tribune commenting on the implications of the 2013 Sino-Russian joint military exercise. 

In the article Hu said, “The exercise is an actual action to implement the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia that the leaders in the military field in China and Russia had proposed.” 
“There are two main foundations for the joint military exercise. First, in recent years, the United States deployed a strategic missile defense system in areas that included Eastern European countries, thus seriously squeezing Russia’s strategic space. Second, the U.S. shifted its strategic focus to the Asia-Pacific, winning over Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Australia, and other Asia-Pacific countries, in a joint attempt to contain China. In China’s territorial disputes with neighboring countries, whether it is the East China Sea issue, or the South China Sea issue, one can see the shadow of the United States in the background.” 
The article concluded that both Russia and China have realized that the two countries need to form an alliance in order to reduce the pressure from United States.

“In this context of history and reality, this exercise has historic and forward-looking strategic significance. Such joint military exercises create a psychological deterrence to the U.S. And Japan.” 
”Both China and Russia, if not united together, might be defeated individually. Once China and Russia join together, it will cause some psychological deterrence to the U.S. and Japan, making, the U.S. and Japan hesitant to provoke territorial disputes and other issues in Northeast Asia.” 

Source: International Herald Tribune (Xinhua), July 15, 2013                                                         http://ihl.cankaoxiaoxi.com/2013/0715/239296.shtml