China and Russia have recently completed a joint naval patrol in the northern and western Pacific, according to a statement from Beijing's defence ministry on Sunday. The ministry emphasized that the exercise was not aimed at any other nation. In recent years, the relationship between the two countries has grown stronger, with both nations promoting their friendship as 'limitless'. They both share antagonistic relations with the US-led Western defence alliance, NATO. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, China has enhanced its diplomatic, economic, and military ties with Moscow. China has not condemned the invasion and claims neutrality in the conflict, despite Western leaders accusing it of providing political and economic support to Russia, including trade in dual-use goods.
The Chinese defence ministry stated that the joint maritime patrol, the fourth of its kind, was conducted according to an annual plan and mutual agreement between China and Russia. The operation was declared to be unrelated to the current international and regional situation and not targeted at any third party. Specific details about the patrol, such as the routes, locations, and types of forces involved, were not disclosed. Additionally, on Friday, China announced it was conducting 'Joint Sea-2024' drills with Russia along its southern coast, following NATO's declaration that Beijing had become a crucial supporter of Moscow's war in Ukraine and Japan's warning about the increasing threat from China's strong ties with Russia.
The drills around Zhanjiang, a city in southern Guangdong province, aim to demonstrate the joint capabilities of China and Russia in addressing maritime security threats and maintaining global and regional peace and stability, according to the ministry. The Russian defence ministry confirmed that two of its warships had arrived in Zhanjiang to participate in the joint naval exercises, with the initial phase scheduled from Monday to Wednesday. The Pacific region is a focal point of international tensions due to territorial disputes between China and its US-backed neighbors, including Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan. Although China and Russia conduct regular joint military exercises, their level of interoperability is significantly lower than that of NATO, according to a report from the European Union Institute for Security Studies in early July. In 2023, vessels from both countries participated in a naval exercise near the US state of Alaska.
