China and Russia start joint drills in Sea of Japan
Alongside economic and political ties, Moscow and Beijing have strengthened their military cooperation in recent years, and their relations have deepened since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
The "Joint Sea-2025" exercises kicked off in waters near the Russian port of Vladivostok and would last for three days, China's defence ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
The two sides will hold "submarine rescue, joint anti-submarine, air defence and anti-missile operations, and maritime combat."
Four Chinese vessels, including guided-missile destroyers Shaoxing and Urumqi, are participating in the exercises alongside Russian ships, the ministry said.
After the drills, the two countries will conduct naval patrols in "relevant waters of the Pacific."
China and Russia have carried out annual drills for several years, with the "Joint Sea" exercises beginning in 2012.
Last year's drills were held along China's southern coast.
The Chinese defence ministry said Friday that this year's exercises were aimed at "further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership" of the two countries.
China has never denounced Russia's more than three-year war nor called for it to withdraw its troops, and many of Ukraine's allies, including the United States, believe that Beijing has provided support to Moscow.
China insists it is a neutral party, regularly calling for an end to the fighting while also accusing Western countries of prolonging the conflict by arming Ukraine.--AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sinar Daily
42 minutes ago
- Sinar Daily
Trump's crackdown leaves LA's undocumented migrants on brink of homelessness
LOS ANGELES - When her husband was arrested in an immigration raid near Los Angeles last month, Martha was abruptly separated from the father of her two daughters. But she also lost the salary that allowed her to keep a roof over their heads. "He's the pillar of the family... he was the only one working," said the undocumented woman, using a pseudonym for fear of reprisals. "He's no longer here to help us, to support me and my daughters." Los Angeles, where one-third of residents are immigrants -- and several hundred thousand people are undocumented -- has been destabilised by intensifying government Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. Since returning to power, US President Donald Trump has delivered on promises to launch a wide-ranging deportation drive, targeting undocumented migrants but also ensnaring many others in its net. After her husband's arrest, 39-year-old Martha joined the ranks of people barely managing to avoid ending up on the streets of Los Angeles County -- a region with prohibitively high housing prices, and the largest number of homeless people in the United States outside New York. Her 700-square-foot apartment in Buena Park, a suburb of the California metropolis, costs $2,050 per month. After her husband's arrest, she urgently found a minimum-wage night job in a factory to cover their most pressing needs. It pays just enough to keep them afloat, but has left Martha unable to cover a range of obligations. "I have to pay car insurance, phone, rent, and their expenses," she said, pointing to her daughters, aged six and seven, who need school supplies for the new academic year. "That's a lot of expenses." - 'Bigger storm brewing' - How long can she keep up this punishing schedule, which allows her barely three hours of sleep on returning from the factory before having to wake and look after her daughters? "I couldn't tell you," she said, staring blankly into space. Los Angeles has seen some of the worst of the ICE raids. Squads of masked agents have targeted hardware stores, car washes and bus stops, arresting more than 2,200 people in June. About 60 per cent of these had no prior criminal records, according to internal ICE documents analyzed by AFP. Trump's anti-immigration offensive is taking an added toll on Latino workers, who were already among the worst-affected victims of the region's housing crisis, said Andrea Gonzalez, deputy director of the CLEAN Carwash Workers Center, a labor rights non-profit. "A bigger storm is brewing. It's not just about the people that got picked up, it's about the people that are left behind as well," she said. "There is a concern that people are going to end up on the streets." Her organization is helping more than 300 struggling households whose incomes have plummeted, either because a family member has been arrested or because they are too afraid to return to work. It has distributed more than $30,000 to help around 20 families who are unable to afford their rent, but covering everyone's needs is simply "not sustainable," said Gonzalez. Federal agents patrol the halls of immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on Aug 5, 2025 in New York City. - (Photo by SPENCER PLATT / Getty Images via AFP) - 'An emergency' - Local Democratic Party leaders are trying to establish financial aid for affected families. Los Angeles County is planning a dedicated fund to help, and city officials will also launch a fund using philanthropic donations rather than taxpayer money. Some families should receive "a couple hundred" dollars, Mayor Karen Bass said last month. But for Gonzalez, these initiatives do not "even scratch the surface" of what is needed, representing less than 10 percent of most affected families' rent requirements. She called for a "moratorium on evictions" similar to one introduced during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Otherwise, Los Angeles' homeless population -- currently numbered at 72,000, which is down slightly in the past two years -- risks rising again, she warned. "What we're living through right now is an emergency," said Gonzalez. Maria Martinez's undocumented immigrant husband was arrested in June at a carwash in Pomona, a suburb east of Los Angeles. Since then, the 59-year-old has had to rely on help from her children to pay her $1,800 monthly rent. Her $1,000 disability allowance falls far short. "It is stressful," she said. "We're just getting by." - AFP
Malaysian Reserve
an hour ago
- Malaysian Reserve
India braces for pain as Trump gives 24-hour warning on tariffs
INDIA is racing to contain the economic fallout from President Donald Trump's threatened tariffs, which has left officials in New Delhi feeling shocked, jilted and unsure of how to respond. Trump's harsh language — calling India's economy 'dead,' its tariff barriers 'obnoxious' and its people indifferent to the plight of Ukrainians — has been akin to a verbal slap in the face, according to an official in New Delhi said, who asked not to be identified as the discussions are private. Officials have no template to deal with these kinds of public assaults, the person said, adding that the latest turn of events has put a strain on India's relationship with the US. Trump said Tuesday he'll increase the 25% tariff on Indian exports to the US 'substantially over the next 24 hours,' citing the Asian nation's high barriers to trade and its purchases of Russian oil. India was 'fueling the war machine, and if they're going to do that, I'm not going to be happy,' Trump told CNBC. India's government is now bracing for higher tariffs and seeking to limit the possible economic damage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been urging Indians to buy more local goods to offset any slump in global demand. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is discussing ways to help exporters who would be hardest hit, such as in the gems and jewelry and textile sectors. And officials say they will continue to seek back-channel talks to help ease the tensions. India has been a target of Trump for weeks now because of its economic ties with Russia. The US president has given Vladimir Putin until Aug. 8 to reach a truce with Ukraine, and wants to ramp up the pressure by targeting energy purchases from countries like India and China that are helping to keep Russia's economy afloat. Modi's government is so far holding its ground, saying it's being unreasonably targeted by the US for its ties to Russia — its biggest supplier of oil and military equipment. Officials have signaled they won't instruct refiners to halt Russian crude purchases. For months, Indian trade officials had been negotiating with the Trump administration on a deal that both sides said was close to being finalized, with a tariff rate possibly below 20%. The US president's tone appeared to change last month, when he threatened India with higher duties alongside others in the BRICS bloc of nations for what he said was the group's anti-US stance. He then followed up several days later with warnings about financial penalties on countries like India for buying oil from Russia. India has been buying Russian crude at a rate of about 1.7 million barrels a day so far this year, all of it from seaborne imports, while China has purchased an average of about 2 million barrels, comprising both seaborne imports as well as oil transported via an inland pipeline. To offset the tariff hikes, officials in New Delhi are now considering expediting an export promotion plan, first outlined in the February budget, which set aside 22.5 billion rupees ($256 million) to support exporters. The budgeted amount may be increased to help businesses offset potential losses resulting from greater competition with regional rivals, who have secured lower tariff rates of around 15%-20%, a person familiar with the matter said. The discussions are still ongoing and the government hasn't made any decision on what kind of support it will provide, the person said. India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Ministry of Finance didn't immediately respond to emails seeking further information. New Delhi is also weighing easing some dairy market access rules for the US in order to placate Trump, officials familiar with the matter said. The government is discussing whether it can allow limited imports of some dairy products, such as cheese not made in India and condensed milk with clear labeling of the animal feed used in manufacturing, they said. India maintains tariffs of as high as 60% on dairy products to protect its local industry and enforces strict rules to ensure imported dairy goods aren't from cattle fed with animal-based products in order to adhere to religious sensitivities. Any easing of restrictions in the dairy sector would represent a significant concession by India, which didn't grant the UK any similar market access in a recently concluded free trade agreement. Economists estimate that a 25% tariff could cut India's gross domestic product growth by 0.3 percentage point. Pranjul Bhandari, chief India economist at HSBC Holdings Plc., said an additional penalty would curb growth further, resulting in lower capital inflows and investment. An internal assessment by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry shows that a 25% tariff would impact about 10% of India's exports in the July-to-September period. Modi's rivals have criticized his previously friendly relationship with Trump and called him out for his silence on the US leader's comments. 'We are receiving threats — that there will be more than 25% tariffs and we are being told that we should not buy oil from Russia. This friendship has turned out to be expensive,' Jairam Ramesh, a senior leader in the main opposition Indian National Congress, told reporters Tuesday. #WATCH | On US President Trump saying he will substantially raise tariffs on India over Russian oil purchases, Congress MP, Jairam Ramesh says, '…For years, PM has been claiming that President Trump and he share a special bond…This friendship proved to be very expensive…MEA… — ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2025 Trump's actions will push India to react, although it's unlikely to retaliate and will more likely seek further talks with the US, said Indrani Bagchi, chief executive officer at Ananta Centre, a Delhi-based research group. 'My sense is the government will contain this and will not take this forward, will not escalate,' she said. India will want to continue the trade deal negotiations in spite of Trump's 'personal anger,' she said. The US president likely wants to have Modi call him and 'fold in the way that other countries have,' she said. 'That is not India's style.' –BLOOMBERG
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
No delay to Segamat-JB stretch of electrified double track rail project, says Loke
KUALA LUMPUR: There is no delay to the work on the Segamat to Johor Baru stretch of the KTMB's electrification and double tracking project (EDTP), says Transport Minister Anthony Loke. Speaking to the media after opening the Asean-China International Rail Transit Forum 2025 here Wednesday (Aug 6) morning, he said things remain on track for the entire EDTP - stretching 192km from Gemas to JB Sentral - to be ready by "the end of the year". "It is inaccurate to say that there is a delay. In fact, I have said a few months ago that the project will be completed in phases. The first phase was the opening of the Gemas to Segamat in March (2025)," he said. "The second phase will be from Segamat to Kluang, which we intend to open before Aug 31," he said. The third phase will be from Kluang to JB Sentral. On the actual commencement date of ETS services from Segamat to Kluang, Loke said the government is awaiting confirmation from a "very important person" who will be given the honour to drive the first ETS to Kluang. He, however, remained coy on the identity of the VIP. On the perception that the EDTP project is delayed, he said the first (new) train just finished testing, and that is the reason why he was not able to make any announcement any earlier, other than waiting for confirmation from the "VIP train driver". On the status of KL International Airport's aerotrain, which was beset with yet another service stoppage earlier this week, Loke said the interruption was indeed disappointing. "We acknowledge the weakness, and are regretful. We have told MAHB to see to it with the contractor," he said, while asking the public to consider that the aerotrain had actually moved 1.5 million passengers a month since it was relaunched on July 1 after a replacement programme. "It is a 15-minute interruption caused by a software bug, and is not a mechanical fault," he said, adding that like any system, maintenance has to be performed. The railway forum here was organised by UTAR with four Chinese institutions: the Beijing Jiaotong University, Urban Rapid Rail Transit, Centre for Railway Infrastructure and Engineering, as well as the Centre for Sustainable Mobility Technologies. The event was primarily sponsored by Tianma Bearing and China Railway Signal & Communication Co Ltd. In his opening speech, Loke praised UTAR's role - under the leadership of Prof Datuk Ewe Hong Tat - in contributing to the creation of a qualified workforce for the development of rail in Malaysia. UTAR's role in the development of the local rail industry comes from the Centre for Railway Infrastructure and Engineering under the leadership of Dr Chua Kein Huat.
