Islamabad, October 23 (Asia Free Press): Warships from Russia and China held week-long joint patrols in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, Russia’s defence ministry said in a statement.
The patrols started on October 17 and ended today.
The warships involved included the Type 055 guided missile destroyer Nanchang, the Type 052D guided missile destroyer Kunming, the Type 054A guided missile frigates Binzhou and Liuzhou, and the Type 903A comprehensive supply ship Dongpinghu from China, and the large anti-submarine ships Admiral Panteleev and Admiral Tributs, the instrumentation ship Marshal Krylov, and the corvettes of Project 20380 Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Ts involved, according to av
Japan closely watched the naval manoeuvres and said in a statement earlier this week that a group of 10 vessels from China and Russia sailed through the Tsugaru Strait separating Japan’s main island and its northern island of Hokkaido.
In a statement, Russia’s defence ministry said, “The group of ships passed through the Tsugaru Strait for the first time as part of the patrol.”
The strait is regarded as international water.
“The tasks of the patrols were the demonstration of the Russian and Chinese state flags, maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, and guardianship of the subjects of the maritime economic activities of the two countries,” the ministry added.
Russia and China since 2012 staged multiple naval cooperation drills in the Sea of Japan which aided in cultivating closer military and diplomatic ties in recent years at a time when their relations with the West have soured.
Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Thursday that,
“New regional security organisations like Quad and AUKUS are serious threats to both China and Russia, and the joint drill between the two countries will contribute to regional peace and stability. “
