China, Russia to hold annual joint naval drills in Pacific

BEIJING: China and Russia will stage their annual joint naval exercise this month and later carry out maritime patrols in parts of the Pacific Ocean, according to a statement issued by China’s defence ministry on Sunday.

The ministry said naval forces from both countries will take part in the Joint Sea-2026 exercise in waters and airspace near Qingdao, a major military port city on China’s eastern coast. It added that, after the drills, some units from the two sides would conduct a joint maritime patrol in relevant areas of the Pacific Ocean.

In its statement, the Chinese defence ministry said the arrangement was aimed at jointly responding to security challenges and safeguarding regional peace and stability. It did not disclose the size of the deployment or further operational details.

China and Russia have built close economic and diplomatic ties, with their relationship deepening amid shared opposition to what they see as a global order dominated by Washington. Their militaries have also conducted regular joint exercises in recent years, a development that has drawn scrutiny from Western governments and some others as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues.

The two countries have held Joint Sea exercises since 2012. Last year’s edition took place near the eastern Russian port of Vladivostok and was also followed by joint patrols in the Pacific.

The announcement comes roughly two months after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China. During that trip, Putin said relations between the two countries had reached an unprecedentedly high level, while Chinese President Xi Jinping described the partnership as unyielding.

China has not condemned Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, though Beijing maintains that it is neutral in the conflict and has repeatedly called for peace talks. Many of Ukraine’s Western allies, including the United States, believe China has supported Russia’s war effort.