Russia and China recently conducted a joint anti-missile exercise, which an expert told Newsweek signaled a growing level of trust, with the two sides able to mutually benefit amid the proliferation of long-range precision weapons in Europe and Asia.

In a short statement released on Saturday, China 's Defense Ministry said the war game, held at an undisclosed location in Russia in early December, did not target any third party and had nothing to do with the "current international and regional situation."

Newsweek has contacted the Russian Defense Ministry by email for further comment.

Why It Matters

China has been one of Russia's closest partners since the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022, with Moscow describing its relations with Beijing as a partnership " w

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