Russia on Monday announced that its naval forces would take part in a joint military drills with China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA) in the disputed South China Sea. The joint naval exercise named the 'Joint Sea-2016' is scheduled to take place from September 12 to 19.

"During the exercise the forces of the Russian Pacific Fleet and the Navy of the People's Liberation Army of China will drill organizing defense of ships at sea and joint assault force landing in the South China Sea," Russian Navy spokesperson Vladimir Matveyev told TASS.

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China's defense ministry said that the joint military exercise is aimed at strengthening the developing China-Russia strategic partnership and is not directed against third party.

The announcement came a day after the People's Liberation Army (PLA) began a three-day 'live-fire' exercise in the Gulf of Tonkin, the northern part of disputed South China Sea. The drills come at a time when tensions between China and other claimants of in the South China Sea, particularly Philippines and Vietnam, have been heightened. China's maritime safety administration, however, said the drills are part of the PLA Navy's routine combat exercises.

The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) last week conducted similar combat drills in the international waters near the Sea of Japan.

TagsSouth China Sea, South China Sea Dispute, South China Sea Update, Russia, china, drills