Thousands of Russian and Chinese soldiers are amassing for military exercises this week. The exercises, organized by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (sco), are taking place in Russia’s Volga-Urals military district, and are regarded by some as the symbolic emergence of a military bloc that could eventually rival nato.

The 10-day operation, which began on Tuesday with Russian and Chinese fighter, gun-ship, helicopter and air-transport maneuvers, involves at least 6,500 troops and 500 combat vehicles and all six members of the sco: Russia, China, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. It is the sco’s largest exercise in its six-year history.

Named “Peace Mission 2007,” the exercises are being conducted under the auspices of anti-terrorism exercises.

According to Times Online, the maneuvers are regarded as a significant advancement of the sco’s status and capabilities. The organization, which was originally founded in 2001 as a non-military partnership for the purpose of fighting drugs, weapons smuggling, terrorism and separatism, has developed into a potential challenger to nato.

Military exercises are typically used to broadcast a nation’s martial force capabilities and are often a symbol of national power.

“The exercise will involve practically all sco members for the first time in its history,” Colonel-General Vladimir Moltenskoi, the deputy commander of Russia’s ground forces, said. Most sco countries are contributing troops and weaponry to the excursion, while others are merely sending staff officers or other smaller contingents.

“This is the first time all six members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are taking part in a military exercise together,” Qian Lihua, deputy director of China’s Ministry of Defense Foreign Affairs Office, said. “It’s also a first for the People’s Liberation Army to send so many soldiers and weapons to such a remote place.” China sent many of its attack units via air transport, but Beijing also leaped a huge logistical hurdle by transporting troops and equipment by rail as well: a 6,000-mile trip one-way.

This is not the first time Russian and Chinese forces have gathered to conduct joint military exercises. Past missions include “Peace Mission 2005,” a geopolitical saber-rattling event designed to intimidate Taiwan. That mission involved a simulated large-scale amphibious assault on the Yellow Sea coastline.

This week’s military exercises come as Russian leaders propose combining the burgeoning power of the sco with the Collective Security Treaty Organization, which represents most of the former Soviet Union. The csto secretary general called last week for the alliance to hold joint military exercises with the sco.

When the military exercises wind down next week, sco members will meet for an annual summit. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao will attend the meeting before observing the final day of the joint exercise in Urumchi. Non-member countries including Iran, India and Pakistan have also been invited to attend.

In the future we should look for Asian nations, whether through the sco or another alliance, to form a powerful bloc to rival nato and, eventually, European Union forces. For more comprehensive analysis on Russian-Chinese relations, read “Russia, China and a Central Asian Alliance,” and “Russia, China Extend Hand to Iran,” along with the booklet Russia and China in Prophecy.