BEIJING — China, Iran and Russia will hold joint naval drills starting on Friday in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Oman, China’s defence ministry said on Thursday, amid heightened tension in the region between Iran and the United States. China will send the Xining, a guided missile destroyer, to the drills, which will last until Monday and are meant to deepen cooperation between the three countries’ navies, ministry spokesman Wu Qian told a monthly news briefing. The drill was a “normal military exchange” between the three armed forces and was in line with international law and practices, Wu said. The drills are also coming at a time of fraught tensions between the United States and Iran. “This drill will take place for supporting and increasing experience in the security of international trade in the region,” he said.

Source: National Post December 26, 2019 13:40 UTC