South Africa on Friday began a 10-day joint naval drill with China and Russia on the Indian Ocean, the second such exercise between the three country in three years and seen as endangering Pretoria’s relations with the West.
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF), People’s Liberation Army navy from China and the Russian Federal Navy are expected to participate in Exercise Mosi II in which the naval might of the countries would be showcased in the Indian Ocean, off South Africa’s shores, from February 17-27.
The SANDF said 350 members of its armed forces are taking part in the exercise, which has fuelled rabid criticism from the opposition and some of South Africa’s Western partners.
“This year’s exercise will see more than 350 personnel participating SANDF of various service branches and divisions,” the force said in a statement.
SANDF is made up of the South African Army, South African Air Force and South African Navy.
This is the second time that South Africa has hosted such a military exercise, with the first one held in November 2019 in Cape Town.
The opposition Democratic Alliance has accused the ruling African National Congress of making South Africa play the role of a “useful idiot” in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict by abandoning the formal position of neutrality that Pretoria had hitherto maintained over the issue.
There are concerns that Russia could use the exercise to test its Zircon hypersonic missile after the Russian battleship Admiral Gorshkov docked in Cape Town last month – armed with this model of missiles.
The United States has also criticised the naval drills, expressing concern that these would be taking place as Russia celebrates the first anniversary of its war in Ukraine.
The South African government has, however, insisted that it remained neutral regarding the conflict, noting that this was another routine exercise such as ones it has previously hosted with other countries, including France and the US.
JN/APA