The naval and air forces from China and Russia on Sunday completed the first stage of their joint military drills code-named "Northern/Interaction-2024".
According to a statement announced by China's Ministry of National Defense on Monday, the drills aimed to deepen strategic cooperation between the two sides and strengthen their ability to respond to security threats.
During the five-day exercises, the naval and air forces from both sides completed multi-subject tasks in the waters and airspace of the Sea of Japan to test the tactical command coordination and joint operation capabilities of the two sides.
Ship-to-sea firing was launched right after the fleets reached the designated waters. According to the information sent by the air forces, the maritime joint operation group locked on to the enemy ships quickly and conducted simulated missile attacks.
Sailors used radars and photoelectricity to constantly update information about aerial targets.
Chinese guided-missile destroyer Wuxi and Russian corvette Sovershennyy fired one after another, and they both hit the targets.
"High intensity and fast pace are the prominent features of the drills, which required us to better demonstrate our continuous combat capability. Especially in anti-aircraft firing by secondary guns, the lead ship fired and hit the target instantly in the fleeting combat window. This has fully demonstrated our ability and training level," said Song Qinglong, a Chinese sailor.
As night fell, under the command of the Chinese side, the joint maritime taskforce conducted ship-to-sea firing by main guns. After Chinese guided-missile destroyer Xining took the firing position, sailors at the main firing potion carried out attacks according to the instruction and destroyed the targets successfully.
"In the drills, we applied real battlefield environment to conduct exercises on subjects such as ship-to-sea firing by main guns and anchorage ground defense at night, and effectively dealt with all kinds of emergencies in the darkness of night. We achieved the desired effect through the drills," said Dong Kai, another Chinese sailor.
China, Russia complete first stage of joint military exercise
China, Russia complete first stage of joint military exercise
China, Russia complete first stage of joint military exercise
The Syrian government and people have roundly welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement to lift all sanctions against Syria, with many believing it will give a major boost to the conflict-ravaged country's recovery from years of civil war.
Trump announced during his visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday that he would remove the long-standing sanctions on Syria, with the Syrian foreign ministry welcoming the move as a "pivotal turning point for the Syrian people".
Another significant moment came on Wednesday when Trump held a face-to-face meeting with Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in the Saudi capital Riyadh -- marking the first encounter between a U.S. president and a Syrian leader in decades -- with the two discussing the normalization of bilateral ties.
Prior to Trump's announcement, the Syrian foreign ministry noted that the long-imposed sanctions, which originally applied to the former government, were still having a direct impact on the Syrian people and had hindered efforts to facilitate the country's post-war recovery and reconstruction.
The news of the removal of all U.S. punitive measures was immediately met with an outpouring of joy in Syria, with large crowds taking to the streets of Damascus and elsewhere in the country to celebrate.
The Syrian pound also reportedly gained in value following Trump's decision.
Ziad Arabsh, an economic consultant for the Syrian government, said the U.S. move has now cleared a major obstacle to Syria's economic recovery and post-war reconstruction efforts.
"The access of Syria to the world technology is extremely vital to rebuild the long years [of] destroyed infrastructure, and this will lead to the economy [being boosted] and help Syria in [its] reconstruction instead of sliding into fragmentation," Arabsh said in an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN) in Damascus.
Trump's surprise announcement came on the first day of his four-day whirlwind tour across the Middle East, which has seen him visit Saudi Arabia and Qatar before he is expected to conclude the trip in the United Arab Emirates.
Trump's remarks about the sanctions relief and his meeting with al-Sharaa came at a time when the new leadership in Damascus is striving to rally international support for the country to cope with extreme challenges after over a decade of conflict and economic hardship.
Syrians welcome Trump's announcement to lift all sanctions
