Chinese and Russian naval vessels “recently” conducted their fourth joint maritime patrol in the western and northern Pacific Ocean, China’s Defense Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
The patrol, it added, was not directed at a third party and had nothing to do with the current international and regional situation.
The Joint Sea-2024 exercise took place in the waters and airspace near Zhanjiang, in south China’s Guangdong province.
The drill followed the annual military engagement plan and the bilateral agreement between the two armed forces, it said.
However, Japan has raised “serious” apprehensions about collaborative operations near its borders, citing national security concerns.
The joint exercises between China and Russia are a notable display of their strategic partnership, with analysts viewing them as a response to the U.S. military’s increasing presence in the region.
