The Chinese Defense Ministry said that the Chinese and Russian naval units recently launched the fourth joint maritime patrol in the affected waters of the western and northern Pacific Ocean. The ministry stressed that these actions are not directed against other countries, and have nothing to do with the current international and regional situation. This will not be the first time that the two sides have conducted such exercises.
In 2023, for example, alarm bells were raised when warships appeared near the coast of Alaska.
Earlier, the press service of the Russian Pacific Fleet reported that the cruisers Gromky and Rezgi arrived at the port of Changjiang in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou to take part in the joint naval exercise called Maritime Interaction-2024. From July 15 to 17, Chinese and Russian naval units will conduct air defense and anti-submarine warfare exercises during the naval maneuvers.
Moscow and Beijing have maintained increasingly close relations with each other since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As a result of Western sanctions, the Kremlin has struggled with economic opportunities, so it is trying to find new partners. China has become the most important country in this regard, and political, defense and security relations between the two powers have strengthened. In light of this, more and more joint military exercises are being held.
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