Two Chinese Coast Guard ships arrived in Russia’s far east on Tuesday for a series of joint drills and patrols with Moscow’s forces, the Russian foreign ministry said.
The exercise, dubbed “Pacific Patrol 2024”, comes just a week after Chinese and Russian warships sailed through the Sea of Japan for a different drill, and as both countries ramp up their military co-operation.
“The Chinese Coast Guard ships Meishan and Xiushan are visiting Vladivostok,” a local branch of the Russian foreign ministry said on Telegram.
“During the visit, a number of events are planned, including joint exercises and patrols. A welcoming ceremony for the flotilla was held on 17 September,” it added.
Moscow and Beijing have deepened military and economic cooperation in recent years, an alliance that has drawn anxiety from the West as both countries seek to counterbalance what they see as a United States-led global order.
China sent four warships and a supply vessel to Russia last week for the start of Moscow’s Ocean-2024 exercise, part of the largest drill of its kind for three decades.
A statement by China’s Ministry of Defence disclosed that the Chinese navy will also participate in the Russian navy’s larger Ocean-2024 strategic exercise.
READ ALSO: Russia, Ukraine exchange more than 200 in prisoner swap
That spans the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the Mediterranean, Caspian and Baltic Seas and involves over 400 warships, submarines and support vessels, more than 120 planes and helicopters and over 90,000 troops.
The Chinese fleet is composed of troops drawn from the Navy of the Northern Theatre Command, including the guided-missile destroyers Xining and Wuxi, the guided-missile frigate Linyi, the comprehensive replenishment ship Taihu and three shipborne helicopters.
“Under the pretext of countering the allegedly existing Russian threat and containing the People’s Republic of China, the United States and its satellites are increasing their military presence near Russia’s western borders, in the Arctic and in the Asia-Pacific region,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the start of the drills.
He also said the drills, which involved more than 90,000 Russian troops, were the largest of their kind in three decades.
Through the joint exercises, Russia has sought Chinese help in achieving its long-standing aim of becoming a Pacific power, while Moscow has backed China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea and elsewhere.
Credible News.ng
