WASHINGTON, Aug 17: Officials in Washington see the joint Chinese and Russian military exercise that began on Wednesday as a political signal to the United States, in addition to helping Moscow showcase its weapons for sale to China.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters that both China and Russia have notified the US about the exercises. “We would hope that anything that they do is not something that would be disruptive to the current atmosphere in the region.”

“We are observing the activities,” said Pentagon spokesman Larry Di Rita.

The United States was not invited to observe the war games but defence officials from India, Iran, Pakistan and Mongolia will be present in China to watch the exercises.

The US Pacific Command will use EP-3 surveillance aircraft along China’s coasts and two Navy surveillance ships that were dispatched to waters near the exercises.

US newspapers on Wednesday quoted military and intelligence officials as saying that through the exercises, the Chinese and the Russians were sending a message to the United States. “They want to see our bases in Central Asia and presence in Asia cut back,” said one official.

Since US military observers were not invited, US military and civilian intelligence agencies have made special arrangements for monitoring activities in the western Pacific, the US media reported.

Numerous intelligence-gathering aircraft, ships and satellites are focusing on China’s Shandong Peninsula and the Yellow Sea, where the war games are being held.

Pentagon officials said they were particularly interested in the manoeuvres in which Russia planned to use strategic bombers.

Russian officials have said more than 20 Russian strategic bombers and transport jets will participate, including two Tu-95 bombers and four Tu-22 ones that will fire cruise missiles as part of the games.

Russian and Chinese troops are also conducting anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare simulation with two Russian warships, six Chinese warships and two Chinese diesel submarines.

A second part involves joint Russian and Chinese amphibious assault on the Shandong Peninsula. Several hundred paratroopers will also be dropped from aircraft.

“We expect that China will feature some of its latest assets alongside visiting Russian forces, showcasing their military power and credible force,” said a US defence official.