Chinese-Russian naval drills begin off North Korea

China and Russia started joint naval drills in the waters near the Russia-North Korea border, local media reported.

The exercises, which began on Monday off Russia's southeastern port of Vladivostok, are the second part of China and Russia's 'Joint Sea-2017' programme that started in June.

The drills, which include submarine rescue and anti-submarine exercises, are not directly linked to increasing tensions over North Korea, China's state-owned Xinhua news agency reported. The exercises are taking place in the Sea of Japan and, for the first time, the Okhotsk Sea.

South Korea and the United States also staged military drills in the Korean Peninsula, conducting bombing exercises involving six US planes and four South Korean fighter jets, according to Song Young-moo, the South Korean defence minister. Joint drills organised by Washington and Seoul are now being conducted "two to three times a month these days", he said.

UCJ, UNILORIN.