ISTANBUL
\nChinese and Russian navies on Wednesday began their joint military exercises in the East China Sea, focusing on \u201craising\u201d the level of mutual trust and promoting the establishment of a joint maritime patrol mechanism. \u201cSince 2012, the series of China-Russia \u2018Joint Sea\u2019 exercises have become a stable cooperation platform and communication channel for the two navies to elevate strategic mutual trust, enhance traditional friendship, and improve the capability of joint maritime operations,\u201d said Senior Capt. Gao Xiucheng, a spokesperson for the Chinese navy.
\nThe joint drills are part of annual cooperation between the Chinese and Russian militaries, said a Chinese military magazine, adding that the joint sea exercises will end on Tuesday.
\nChinese ships sailed from a military port on Tuesday in Zhoushan in eastern Zhejiang province while the Russian naval ships departed from Vladivostok last Saturday for military exercises.
\n\u201cConcentrating on joint maintenance of maritime security, the exercise involves joint operations on blockade and control, visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS), air defense, rescue, anti-submarine, and others,\u201d said the Chinese military, which has sent its personnel from Eastern and Northern Theater Commands to participate in the naval drill.
\nThe week-long exercises, involving Chinese destroyers Baotou and Jinan, frigates Binzhou and Yancheng, supply ship Gaoyouhu, a submarine, fixed-wing early warning aircraft and anti-submarine patrol aircraft, will \u201cconsolidate the achievements gained from joint maritime exercises between the Chinese and Russian navies in the past 10 years.\u201d
\n\u201cIt will demonstrate the determination and capability of the two sides to jointly respond to maritime security threats and maintain international and regional peace and stability,\u201d said the Chinese side.
\nRussian Navy\u2019s missile cruiser Varyag, frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, corvettes Aldar Tsydenzhapov and Sovershenny, and supply ship Pechanga are also participating in the joint exercises.
\nOn Monday, Moscow said the \u201cmain goal\u201d of the joint naval exercise \u201cis to strengthen naval cooperation\u201d between the two countries.
\nIt added that joint missile and artillery firing against air targets will be conducted by the two navies, in addition to artillery firing at sea targets.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISTANBUL Chinese and Russian navies on Wednesday began their joint military exercises in the East China Sea, focusing on \u201craising\u201d the level of mutual trust and promoting the establishment of a joint maritime patrol mechanism. \u201cSince 2012, the series of China-Russia \u2018Joint Sea\u2019 exercises have become a stable cooperation platform and communication channel for the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":302698,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-302673","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n