MOSCOW, August 8 (RIA Novosti) -- The Russian government approved a Russian-Chinese agreement on the status of military units temporarily deployed in both countries for joint military maneuvers and decided to submit the document to the Russian president for signing.
According to the document, both sides can send troops by mutual agreement to the respective countries to conduct joint military exercises.
The appointed bodies in both countries will be determining the schedule and location of the exercises, the composition and number of participating troops, and the procedures for each exercise in the form of protocol.
It is an agreement with unlimited duration. Either side can withdraw from it with a 90-day prior notice.
The Russian-Chinese joint military exercises will be held from August 18 until August 25.
The first phase of the exercises will take place August 18-19 in the form of military-political discussions between chiefs-of-staff in Vladivostok (Russian Far East).
During the second phase, August 23-25, Russian and Chinese combat ships will conduct joint maneuvers near the port of Qingdao on the Shandong Peninsula in the Yellow Sea, focusing on the fight against terrorists and pirates.
Up to 10,000 military personnel from both sides are expected to participate in the maneuvers.
Russia will deploy about 1,800 men, a group of ships from the Pacific Fleet, 17 long-range aviation planes, fighters, transport planes and a Marine company.
