South Korea and Japan Respond to China and Russia's Joint Air Patrols

The strategic collaboration between Moscow and Beijing grows amidst international pressure, signaling a potential shift in global power dynamics.

South Korea and Japan scrambled fighter jets in response to long-range air patrols by Chinese and Russian strategic bombers, according to their militaries.
The joint patrols by the Russian Air Force and the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force were the seventh of their kind and the second such exercise this year, indicating a growing security collaboration between Moscow and Beijing.
The aircraft did not violate South Korea's territorial airspace, but their presence in the air defense identification zone was seen as a pointed display towards the U.S. and its Asian allies.
Analysts suggest the Russia-China joint patrols serve multiple purposes, including gaining operational knowledge, countering perceived threats, and safeguarding strategic waterways.
Strategic ties between Russia and China have grown despite international pressure over their respective military buildups and repressive rights records at home.