According to the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, a fleet of Chinese naval ships set sail on July 16 with the Russian Navy and Air Force in the Sea of Japan to participate in an exercise to "ensure the security of this strategic shipping route."
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| Chinese ships conduct drills in Japanese waters. (Source: Xinhua) |
The exercise, dubbed "North/Interaction-2023", marks a step forward in military cooperation between China and Russia since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine and comes as Beijing continues to reject US calls to resume military contacts.
On its official WeChat account the same day, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense stated that its fleet, consisting of five warships and four helicopters capable of taking off and landing on ships, had left the eastern port of Qingdao and would meet Russian forces at a "pre-determined area".
Earlier, on July 15, the ministry said that Russian Navy and Air Force forces will participate in the exercise taking place in the Sea of Japan.
The Global Times newspaper quoted military observers as saying that this would be the first time both Russian forces participated in this exercise.
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