China, Russia prepare for naval exercises

China will send 16 naval ships and two submarines to its first joint naval exercise with Russia, slated to start this weekend in the Yellow Sea, the Ministry of National Defense said on Tuesday.

The drill, which Russian authorities said will involve warships cruising near Japanese waters, has rattled the nerves of media from Japan and South Korea.

Japanese media speculated that the move is aimed at warning Japan, which has maritime disputes with both China and Russia, while Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency said its coincidence with a joint drill between South Korea and the United States is a showcase of military muscle that can balance the US in the region.