China and Russia deepen naval ties in Joint Sea-2026

The maneuvers are a recurring event and take place annually. The exercises in the Yellow Sea will continue until July 13. According to the Chinese Ministry of National Defence, following the planning phase conducted at the port of Qingdao in eastern China, the units will put out to sea. Participants in the operations are set to include, among others, the Russian cruiser Varyag, the submarine Ufa, and the Chinese destroyers Anshan and Kaifeng. A portion of the vessels will embark on a joint patrol in the Pacific Ocean.

The lead Chinese commander for the maneuvers is Rear Admiral Qiu Wensheng. He stated that the exercises serve as an “important platform for the consolidation and development of relations between both countries and their armed forces, increasing strategic trust, and improving the capacity for joint operations.” Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov assured that the maneuvers “are not directed against any state.”

The Joint Sea exercises have been held annually since 2012. This year’s exercises are taking place against the backdrop of a strategic ballistic missile test conducted by China on July 6, launched from a nuclear-powered submarine. This action was met with criticism from Australia, among others. Furthermore, Western suspicion is growing regarding the cooperation between Russia and China in the context of the conflict in Ukraine.