More on Russia, China War Games

Originally noted here. More news and some background depth provided here:

Rivals through the decades of the Cold War, Moscow and Beijing, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, have moved closer to each other, in recent years frequently finding common cause against what they see as U.S. "hegemony."

Their thinly-veiled criticism of the U.S. was reiterated most recently in a joint statement issued after presidents Hu Jintao and Vladimir Putin met on July 1. They stressed their opposition to attempts by any country to "monopolize and dominate international affairs" or to "divide nations between leaders and those being led" - apparently a reference to American support for democratization moves in former Soviet states.

Since Russia and China signed a Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Co-operation Treaty in 2001, aimed at "expanding and deepening the Sino-Russian strategic cooperation partnership," they have settled decades-long disputes over their 2,260-mile common border.

They have deepened cooperation in Central Asia through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a security grouping which last month called on U.S. forces supporting anti-terror operations in Afghanistan to set a timetable to leave Central Asia.

The new century also brought a rapid increase in Russian arms sales to China, with billions of dollars worth of purchases including fighter aircraft, submarines and destroyers. Moscow said last January it may sell China advanced strategic weapons, including Tu-22M3 bombers, known in the West as "Backfires."

Remember, it's an anti-terrorist and piracy exercise...