China and Russia start joint drills in Sea of Japan
BEIJING/MOSCOW: The Russian and Chinese navies are carrying out artillery and anti-submarine drills in the Sea of Japan as part of scheduled joint exercises, the Russian Pacific Fleet was quoted as saying on Sunday. The 'Joint Sea-2025' exercises kicked off in waters near the Russian port of Vladivostok and would last for three days, China's defense ministry said in a statement on Sunday. The two sides will hold 'submarine rescue, joint anti-submarine, air defense and anti-missile operations, and maritime combat'. Four Chinese vessels, including guided-missile destroyers Shaoxing and Urumqi, are participating in the exercises alongside Russian ships, the ministry said.
After the drills, the two countries will conduct naval patrols in 'relevant waters of the Pacific'.
The drills are taking place two days after US President Donald Trump said he had ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in 'the appropriate regions' in response to remarks by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. However, they were scheduled well before Trump's action. Interfax news agency quoted the Pacific Fleet as saying Russian and Chinese vessels were moving in a joint detachment including a large Russian anti-submarine ship and two Chinese destroyers.
It said diesel-electric submarines from the two countries were also involved, as well as a Chinese submarine rescue ship. The maneuvers are part of exercises titled 'Maritime Interaction-2025' which are scheduled to end on Tuesday. Interfax said Russian and Chinese sailors would conduct artillery firing, practice anti-submarine and air defense missions, and improve joint search and rescue operations at sea. Russia and China, which signed a 'no-limits' strategic partnership shortly before Russia went to war in Ukraine in 2022, conduct regular military exercises to rehearse coordination between their armed forces and send a deterrent signal to adversaries.
Trump said his submarine order on Friday was made in response to what he called 'highly provocative' remarks by Russia's Medvedev about the risk of war between the nuclear-armed adversaries. Russia and the United States have by far the biggest nuclear arsenals in the world. It is extremely rare for either country to discuss the deployment and location of its nuclear submarines. – Agencies
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