Joint Drills Begin
China and Russia opened their latest Joint Sea naval exercise off Qingdao on Monday, bringing Russian Pacific Fleet vessels into one of China’s key eastern naval hubs for a week of drills, followed by a joint patrol in the Pacific.
Footage shows Russian and Chinese naval personnel at the opening ceremony. A sign reading ‘Russian-Chinese Joint Maritime Interaction – 2026’ is seen, along with a banner on the Russian ship Igor Belousov.
“Today, we and our Chinese counterparts launched our joint naval exercise, Joint Sea 2026. We have been conducting this exercise for more than 10 years,” said Rear Admiral Sergei Sinko, Chief of the Combat Training Directorate of the Pacific Fleet.
Advanced Naval Training
“This year, a wide range of tasks is planned, including joint manoeuvres, anti-submarine operations, search and rescue operations, and communications drills,” he continued.
China says its forces include vessels from the Northern Theatre Command Navy, including guided-missile destroyers, a guided-missile frigate, a supply ship, a rescue vessel, and a submarine. Both sides are also deploying shipborne helicopters and marine units.
Sinko said this year’s exercise would make extensive use of unmanned systems and unmanned surface vessels, as well as training to counter drone threats.
“This is a highly relevant issue, and considerable time is being devoted to it during the exercise,” he added.
Pacific Patrol Planned
After the drills, forces from both sides are due to move into what China described as relevant areas of the Pacific Ocean for a joint maritime patrol.
The patrol extends beyond Qingdao, giving the two navies another chance to test coordination during longer-range operations.
Article by Viory
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