Russia and China have been conducting joint naval drills in recent weeks
Russia and China have been conducting joint naval drills in recent weeks

NATO's Indo-Pacific policy riddled with challenges

Western allies are waking up to the threat on NATO's borders and the increased ties between Russia and China. But the security alliance's goal to work more closely with the Indo-Pacific region still has a long way to go.

Russia and China have been conducting joint naval drills and war games in recent weeks, in a show of strength and camaraderie for the regional and Western audience.

Several experts told DW that Moscow's intentions were to distract the United States from Europe and weaken the NATO alliance, while China intended to spook regional adversaries and learn lessons from Russia's war experience.

"Russia wants the US to focus more on the Indo-Pacific in the hope that it will reduce military deployment and its support to Europe," said Ying-Yu Lin, a military expert at Tamkang University in Taiwan.

At least 15 countries were invited to observe the drills, but China was the key partner.

"We pay special attention to strengthening military cooperation with friendly states," Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the launch of the exercises in early September, as if brandishing Moscow's defense cooperation with Beijing as a counterweight to the Western security alliance.

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