Russia, China respond to NATO summit with joint military exercises

China said Friday it was holding joint military exercises with Russia along its southern coast following a NATO summit in Washington and a warning to Japan of a growing threat to Beijing’s strong ties with Moscow.

Beijing dismissed the warnings as “irresponsible and provocative” hours after the Chinese Defense Ministry announced that the Chinese and Russian militaries had launched the “Joint Sea 2024” maneuvers in “early July” and would continue until the middle of this month.