Russian and Chinese warships recently conducted a series of joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan as part of the “Maritime Cooperation 2025” exercise. The maneuvers, which ran from August 1-5, are a key component of the annual military cooperation plan between the two nations. The drills saw ships from both the Russian Pacific Fleet and the People’s Liberation Army Navy training together on communication and joint maneuvers.
Notable vessels participating in the exercises included the Russian destroyer Admiral Tributs and corvette Gromky, alongside the Chinese guided-missile destroyers Shaoxing and Urumqi. The ships departed from the Russian port of Vladivostok to begin the training. According to a spokesman for the Chinese Defense Ministry, the drills are not aimed at any third party and are not linked to the current international or regional situation.
These exercises are widely viewed as a signal of strengthening military ties between Moscow and Beijing, particularly in response to what they perceive as U.S.-led containment strategies in the Asia-Pacific. The drills focused on a range of mission sets, including anti-submarine warfare, air defense, search and rescue, and live-fire artillery practice, demonstrating the growing operational compatibility between the two navies.
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Russian–Chinese Naval Exercise Maritime Interaction–2025 – SpecialEurasia
China, Russia Launch Joint Naval Drills In Pacific Amid Strengthening Military Ties
China and Russia begin joint military drills in Sea of Japan – Al Jazeera
