China and Russia’s naval forces began a joint exercise in southern China, days after NATO labeled Beijing a “decisive enabler” of the Ukraine war. The Chinese defense ministry stated the operation, which includes anti-missile exercises and air defense, is unrelated to international tensions. The drills, running until mid-July, aim to showcase naval capabilities in maintaining global and regional stability. This follows NATO’s communiqué highlighting shared security concerns from Russia and China. China accused NATO of seeking security at others’ expense and defended its stance on Ukraine.