China and Russia to hold joint naval drills

China and Russia are set to conduct joint military exercises to strengthen their capabilities in maritime and air operations. As part of this effort, the two countries will begin a joint naval exercise off China's eastern coast this week.

China's Ministry of National Defense confirmed the development in a statement on Sunday (July 5).

According to the statement, the annual joint exercise will take place off the coast of the major Chinese port city of Qingdao. After the drills conclude, the navies of both countries will carry out joint maritime patrols in several areas of the Pacific Ocean. However, the specific locations of the patrols have not been disclosed for security reasons.

Meanwhile, Russian state media reported that warships from Russia's Pacific Fleet have already arrived at the port of Qingdao to participate in the exercise. The fleet includes a cruiser, a corvette, a diesel-electric submarine, and a rescue vessel. The joint military exercise is scheduled to begin on Monday (July 6) and continue until July 13.

China has also made extensive preparations for the exercise. The Chinese People's Liberation Army's Northern Theater Command announced that it will deploy two destroyers, one frigate, one submarine, one replenishment vessel, and one rescue ship. During this year's drills, the two navies will focus on intelligence gathering against enemy forces, air and missile defense operations, and precision strike tactics against land and maritime targets.

Diplomatic analysts note that the exercise comes just two months after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China. During that visit, Putin described bilateral relations between the two countries as being at an "unprecedented high." Chinese President Xi Jinping similarly characterized the Beijing-Moscow partnership as steadfast and unwavering.

The two leading diplomatic and economic partners have been conducting the annual "Joint Sea" naval exercise since 2012. Last year's drills were held near the Russian port of Vladivostok, followed by joint patrols in the Pacific Ocean. Since Russia launched its full-scale military operation in Ukraine, China has never publicly condemned the action. Instead, Beijing has continued to describe itself as a neutral party while consistently calling for peace to be achieved through dialogue.

Source: Al Jazeera