China and Saudi Arabia launch joint naval exercise

China and Saudi Arabia launched a joint naval exercise on Monday, state-run Global Times reported, citing the Chinese Navy.

The exercise started off with an opening ceremony at a camp in Zhanjiang in China's southern Guangdong province, the state-run tabloid reported on Tuesday, adding that hundreds of troops from both sides lined up and prepared for the joint drill.

The report comes after China's defence ministry last month said the two sides were planning to launch a joint naval training exercise in October, the second such joint training between the two countries.

Analysts and experts told the Global Times that the holding of the second exercise indicates that China and Saudi Arabia have made this exercise routine, as they look to boost military cooperation among other things.

(Reuters)