At the beginning of December, China and Russia held the third round of joint anti-missile exercises on Russian territory, according to the Chinese Ministry of Defense.

At the same time, Japan reported two incidents in which Chinese fighter jets directed their fire control radar at Japanese aircraft, a claim that Beijing contests. The exercises did not target third parties and were not a reaction to the current international situation, the Chinese ministry stated. Relations between China and Japan have soured, especially in the context of threats related to Taiwan, and Japan has warned that it will respond to any Chinese military action that could affect its security. China has advised its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan, thereby escalating regional tensions.