By Riyaz ul Khaliq
ISTANBUL (AA) - In a jibe at Japan and India over joint air combat drills, China on Tuesday urged the Quad allies to make efforts for peace in the region.
“Japan and India should make more efforts to promote security and trust among countries in the region and contribute to peace and stability,” said Wang Wenbin, spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry.
The two members of the Quad – a loose security alliance among the US, Japan, Australia, and India – kickstarted their first joint air drill on Monday amid attempts to counter China’s expanding economic and military influence in the wider Asia-Pacific region.
Air combat exercises will last 11 days, ending on Jan. 26, India’s Republic Day.
The drill was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic after it was decided during their inaugural “two-plus-two” joint foreign and defense ministers’ meeting in New Delhi in Nov. 2019.
Japan’s four F-2 and four F-15 fighters will join the Indian Air Force’s four Su-30MKI fighters, and two C-17 transport aircraft during the air drill being held around Hyakuri Air Base in Ibaraki province, northeast of the capital Tokyo.
An IL-78 aerial refueling tanker is also participating in the drill.
India is the fifth nation besides the US, UK, Australia, and Germany to conduct such bilateral air combat exercises with Japan.
In the past, the Japanese ground and maritime self-defense forces also held joint drills with their Indian counterparts.