News - Middle East: Russian and Chinese air forces have carried out joint military exercises in the Asia-Pacific region, according to Russian defense ministry, demonstrating closer defense ties in the face of increasingly hostile West.

In a statement on Wednesday, Russia's defense ministry said warplanes of both countries conducted patrols over the Sea of Japan and East China Sea for eight hours in drills that kicked off earlier in the day.

"The Russian Air Force and the Air Force of the People's Liberation Army of China conducted another joint air patrol in the Asia-Pacific region," the statement read, saying Russian strategic missile carriers TU-95 and Chinese Xian H-6 strategic bomber jets participated in the drills.

The ministry also said the Russian and Chinese strategic bombers made cross landings at airfields of both countries for the first time in their joint aerial patrols.

“For the first time in the history of air patrols, Russian planes landed in the people’s Republic of China, and Chinese aircraft landed on the territory of the Russian Federation.”