According to Xinhua News Agency, the China-Russia “Joint Sea-2025” naval exercise officially began on August 1 at a naval port in Vladivostok, Russia. Themed “Jointly Safeguarding Strategic Sea Lanes and Responding to Security Threats in the Western Pacific,” the exercise aims to further deepen the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination and enhance their joint capacity to maintain international and regional peace and stability.
China’s participating forces include the missile destroyers Shaoxing and Urumqi, the comprehensive supply ship Qiandaohu, the multi-purpose rescue ship Xihu, as well as fixed-wing aircraft, shipborne helicopters, and marine corps personnel.
Russia has dispatched the large anti-submarine ship Admiral Tributs, the light frigate Loud, the rescue ship Belousov, fixed-wing aircraft, shipborne helicopters, and marine coprs personnel.
From August 3 to 5, Chinese and Russian naval vessels will conduct a three-day joint maritime drill in the sea and airspace near Vladivostok. The exercise will cover submarine rescue, joint anti-submarine warfare, air and missile defense, and maritime combat operations. It will also include live-fire drills to test the results of the earlier joint planning discussions.
After the exercise concludes, China and Russia will also carry out a joint naval patrol in relevant areas of the Pacific Ocean.
Since 2012, the “Joint Sea” series of exercises has been held ten times, becoming an important platform for China-Russia naval cooperation and significantly boosting their capacity for joint maritime operations.
Sources:
1. Xinhua, August 1, 2025
http://www.xinhuanet.com/20250801/8c94598a810c439397ffcf339e10861b/c.html
2. Xinhua, August 3, 2025
http://www.news.cn/world/20250803/5171f70e6c4540dbac55ed8410ec5ece/c.html