Chinese, Russian, and Iranian warships are in South African waters this week for naval drills. These exercises happen as tensions rise due to the United States’ military actions in Venezuela and its seizure of oil tankers.
China’s defense ministry announced that the drills will begin with an opening ceremony on Saturday. The main aim is to protect important shipping routes and economic activities. The exercises will include attacks on maritime targets and rescue operations against terrorism.
Ships from these three countries have been seen coming in and out of the harbor at South Africa’s main naval base in Simon’s Town, near Cape Town, where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean.
It is unclear if Brazil, India, or the United Arab Emirates, or other BRICS countries, will join the drills. A spokesperson for the South African armed forces has not confirmed the full list of participants, but the exercises will run until next Friday.
South Africa’s defense forces say these drills will help navies share best practices and improve cooperation. This will contribute to safer shipping routes and regional stability.
These exercises follow a US military attack on Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, during which President Nicolás Maduro was reportedly abducted.
US Forces Seizing Venezuela Oil Tankers
The Trump administration has been taking oil tankers connected to Venezuela from international waters. This includes a Russian-flagged ship in the North Atlantic that the US says broke its sanctions.
Russia has reacted strongly, calling this seizure a violation of international maritime law.
In an interview with The New York Times, Trump said he does not care about international law. He claimed that only his “own morality” guides his administration’s strong actions.
The US has also warned that it might take action against Iran because of the government’s response to recent protests.
Joint naval drills among BRICS countries could create more tension between the US and South Africa, which has faced criticism from the Trump administration.
These drills were supposed to happen last November but were delayed because they conflicted with the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
Let Not Press Panic Buttons
South Africa’s Deputy Defence Minister, Bantu Holomisa, said the event was planned before the current tensions.
He asked the public not to worry just because the United States has issues with certain countries. “Those countries are not our enemies,” Holomisa said.
Some people in South Africa criticized the decision to host Russian and Iranian warships. The Democratic Alliance, the second-largest party in the coalition government, opposes this decision.
They called the military drills “BRICS cooperation” and argued that it is a way for the government to hide the fact that it is building military ties with nations like Russia and Iran, which are facing sanctions.
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