War game to aid China-Russia military tie

BEIJING, April 18 (UPI) -- A joint naval exercise between Russia and China will further promote military ties between the two countries, a Chinese military official said.

The war game, set to begin Sunday near China's eastern coastal city Qingdao, is the first such exercise by the two countries' navies, China's official Xinhua news agency reported.

Chen Bingde, chief of the general staff of China's People's Liberation Army, said Tuesday the exercise will strengthen the navies' ability to tackle regional threats jointly, and will demonstrate the two countries' commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region and world.

Chen's Russian counterpart, Nikolai Makarov, said Russia is working with China to ensure the drill is successful.