Guo Jiakun, Chinese FM spokesperson Photo:VCG

China-Russia joint strategic air patrol is part of the annual cooperation plan. It demonstrates both sides' determination and capability to jointly address regional security challenges and safeguard regional peace and stability. There's no need for Japan to overreact or to read things into it, said Guo Jiakun on Thursday, in response to a question about Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi expressing so-called "serious concerns" over Chinese and Russian military aircraft flying over Japanese and South Korean airspace during his video meetings with the NATO Secretary General and Italy's Defense Minister. 

Guo said that China's Ministry of National Defense has already released information regarding the China-Russia joint air strategic patrol, and the Foreign Ministry also provided a response yesterday. 

The Chinese and Russian militaries conducted their 10th joint strategic air patrol on Tuesday which involved bombers and fighter jets. A Chinese expert highlighted the enhanced pragmatic defense cooperation between the two countries, noting that the strategic patrol served to deter factors that undermines peace and stability amid 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.