Beijing:China on Monday defended the ongoing joint exercises of its air force with that of Pakistan, saying the drills were not directed against any third country and India should view them objectively.
The Air Forces of China and Pakistan are holding their annual exercises "Shaheen (Eagle)-IX" since the second week of December in Pakistan's southern Sindh province.
The exercises followed the recent visit of China's Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe to Pakistan during which the all-weather allies signed a new memorandum of understanding, details of which were not disclosed.
Asked whether the exercises between two air forces were aimed at conveying a message to New Delhi, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here that drills were part of "routine arrangement".
"As all-weather Strategic Cooperation Partners, China and Pakistan have friendly exchanges and cooperation in many areas including politics, economy, military, and security, he said.
"We are committed to jointly upholding regional peace and stability. The relevant cooperation is a routine arrangement between the two militaries," he said.
"It is not targeting any third party. We hope that (the) relevant Party can view this in an objective manner," Wang said, without directly naming India.