This screen grab obtained from a handout video released by the Russian Defence Ministry on August 29, 2022, shows Chinese armed convoy upon their arrival for Vostok 2022 military exercises at the Sergeevsky training ground at Primorskiy (Maritime) Kray of the Russian Far East. Photo: AFP

China sent Army, Navy and Air force units under the Chinese People's Liberation Army PLA Northern Theater Command, with more than 2,000 troops, to participate in the military drills Vostok 2022 (East 2022) exercise that kicked off on Wednesday morning at Sergeyevsky training ground in Russia.

More than 300 vehicles of various types, 21 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, and three ships were also sent by China to the exercise.

Over the past ten days, the Chinese troops in the military drills have carried out cross-border delivery by mechanized march, and railway, maritime and air transport.

Algeria, India, Belarus, Tajikistan, Mongolia and other countries also participated in the exercise launched by Russia.

As one of the four strategic exercises of the Russian military, the "Vostok" series plays an important role in the Russian military drills system. The Vostok-2022 exercise, which will last until September 7, involves more than 50,000 troops and more than 5,000 pieces of weapons and equipment at several training fields in Russia's Eastern Military District and related waters.

The exercise will be carried out in four stages: troop assembly and deployment, joint campaign planning and implementation, and troop withdrawal. The participating militaries jointly set up a directing department and a campaign command structure, according to the Chinese joint campaign headquarter.

The exercise aims to deepen practical and friendly cooperation between the militaries of participating countries, enhance the level of strategic coordination among participating parties, and enhance the ability to jointly respond to multiple security threats, said the headquarter.

The military drills Vostok 2022 came amid usual speculation from Western media outlets, hyping security cooperation between China and Russia especially amid Russia's military operation in Ukraine. Some have also interpreted the normal military cooperation as a "threat." But Chinese experts said it is the US and the West's commonly used tactics to portray Russia-China tie-up in a negative light, in order to unite allies and serve their geopolitical purposes.