Chinese and Russian navies are scheduled to hold annual joint maritime exercises in the waters and airspace off China’s eastern coast this week.
Chinese Ministry of Defence announced on Sunday that the drills will be staged near the major port of Qingdao, reports Xinhua.
Following the conclusion of these manoeuvres, which are set to run from Monday until 13 July, the two navies will conduct joint maritime patrols in unspecified regions of the Pacific Ocean.
Russian state media reported that a contingent from Russia’s Pacific Fleet has already arrived in Qingdao to participate in the exercises. The Russian task force includes a cruiser, a corvette, a diesel-electric submarine, and a rescue vessel.
For its part, China’s Northern Theatre Command has deployed a significant force, including two destroyers, a frigate, a submarine, a supply ship, and a rescue vessel. The joint operations are expected to focus on several key areas, including reconnaissance, air and missile defence, and surface-strike exercises.
These manoeuvres come approximately two months after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to China.
During that trip, President Putin described bilateral relations as having reached an “unprecedentedly high level”, while Chinese President Xi Jinping characterised the partnership between the two nations as “unyielding.”
The two countries have held these “Joint Sea” exercises regularly since 2012. The 2023 edition of the drills took place near the Russian port of Vladivostok and was similarly followed by joint patrols across the Pacific.
While these military ties deepen, China has maintained a complex diplomatic position regarding international conflicts.
Beijing has notably refrained from denouncing Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, instead insisting it remains a neutral party and consistently calling for the initiation of peace talks.
