Chinese and Russian Navies Begin Annual Joint Exercises Off Qingdao on July 6

The Chinese and Russian navies will hold joint exercises in the waters and airspace off China’s eastern coast starting Monday. Al Jazeera reported that the annual drills off the major port of Qingdao are scheduled to run through July 13 and will be followed by joint maritime patrols in unspecified areas of the Pacific Ocean.

Russian state media reported that a cruiser, a corvette, a diesel-electric submarine and a rescue vessel from Russia’s Pacific Fleet arrived in Qingdao for the drills.

China’s Northern Theatre Command said its participating forces include two destroyers, a frigate, a submarine, a supply ship and a rescue vessel. The two navies are expected to conduct reconnaissance, air and missile defence, and surface-strike exercises. Al Jazeera reported that the manoeuvres come roughly two months after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s trip to China.

During that visit Putin described bilateral relations as having reached an “unprecedentedly high level”. Chinese President Xi Jinping called the two countries’ partnership “unyielding”. China and Russia have held Joint Sea exercises annually since 2012.

Last year’s edition took place near the Russian port of Vladivostok and was also followed by joint patrols in the Pacific. Al Jazeera reported that China has never denounced Russia’s full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine and insists it is a neutral party regularly calling for peace talks.