Chinese, Russian Navies Hold Firing Exercises in South China Sea

The Chinese Navy's Hengshui frigate (FFG-572). (Wikimedia Commons/US Navy Combat Camera/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ace Rheaume)

JAKARTA - The Chinese and Russian navies have held live-fire drills in the South China Sea, state media in both countries reported, following an increase in ties between Beijing and Moscow.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on the Telegram app that the opening ceremony for the drills, titled 'China-Russia Joint Sea-2024', took place in Zhanjiang Port, China, Reuters reported on July 17.

During their sea maneuvers, the crews of the Russian Pacific Fleet and the PLA Navy will conduct joint air defense and anti-submarine drills, involving the PLA navy's anti-submarine aviation, the ministry said.

The Global Times newspaper quoted the PLA Navy as saying that the two countries will deploy a number of warships in the three-day drills, including the Chinese destroyer Yinchuan (175) and frigate Hengshui (FFG-572), as well as the Russian corvette Sovershenny (333).

Meanwhile, Russia's state news agency RIA quoted the Russian Pacific Fleet as reporting that the Russian and Chinese navies conducted artillery firing as part of the joint drills.

The drills follow the completion of a separate joint naval patrol in the North Pacific, which the Russian Defense Ministry said earlier involved a detachment of Russian Pacific Fleet ships, including two corvettes, the Rezky and the Gromky.

Wang Guangzheng of the PLA Navy’s Southern Theater told Chinese state broadcaster CCTV that “the China-Russia joint patrol has promoted deeper and more practical cooperation between the two in various directions and areas,” and “effectively enhanced the two sides’ ability to jointly respond to maritime security threats,” he said.

The PLA Navy said all the ships participating in the drills departed from a naval port in Zhanjiang, southern China’s Guangdong Province on Monday. It did not specify where the drills were held.

The Bamboo Curtain Country is known to claim control over almost the entire South China Sea, including the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippines ran an old warship stranded in 1999 to strengthen its maritime claims.

Meanwhile, China and Russia declared a "limitless" partnership in 2022, when President Vladimir Putin visited Beijing days before he sent thousands of troops to Ukraine.