China, UAE to Hold 1st Joint Air Force Drill Amid Deepening Ties

China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will hold their first joint air force drill in August to bolster military cooperation, a move that analysts say sends a message to the United States of the UAE’s security options.

Planes from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) air force fly in formation in Beijing on Oct. 1, 2019. Wang He/Getty Images

China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will hold their first joint air force drill in August to bolster military cooperation, a move that analysts say sends a message to the United States about the UAE’s security options.

The Falcon Shield-2023 joint exercise will take place in China’s Xinjiang Province, the Chinese Defense Ministry stated on July 31, without specifying the dates and scope of the training.