China sending tanks, troops to Russia ahead of war games

The Chinese People's Liberation Army is sending troops, tanks, and other vehicles to Russia to participate in war games amid Moscow's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

A train carrying full military panoply, including armor and personnel, departed for the Russian East on Monday, according to the state-run CCTV.

The International Army Games will include military delegations from 37 countries and regions, the South China Morning Post reported. Russia's largest military exercise will take place from Aug. 13-27, the first time the event has occurred since the beginning of the Ukraine War. The training exercises will see the PLA directly interact with Muscovite forces and those of other participant nations.

Intelligence experts have warned that China is closely watching the Russian experience in Ukraine and taking lessons from the invasion to prepare its own assault against Taiwan.

While China has stopped shy of outright endorsing the Russian invasion, it has declined to condemn the operation and to impose sanctions on the country. Just before the outbreak of war, the two nations issued a sweeping declaration of their partnership spanning a range of issues.

Growing ties between Moscow and Beijing, especially amid the former's war in eastern Europe, have further fueled worries among western defense and intelligence officials.

"If those two nations were to truly demonstrate and deliver a no-limits policy, I think what that means is we're currently in an extremely dangerous time and place in the history of humanity, if that were to come true," said head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Adm. John Aquilino in late June.