China and Russia Begin Joint Naval Drills in Pacific, Signaling Deepening Military Ties

The Chinese and Russian navies have officially commenced "Joint Sea-2026," a major bilateral military exercise taking place in the waters and airspace off the coast of Qingdao in eastern China.

The drills, which run from July 6 to July 13, represent the latest iteration of an annual military cooperation plan that has steadily grown in complexity over the past decade.[2]

Following the harbor and coastal phases, a contingent of the combined fleet will detach to conduct a joint maritime patrol across unspecified areas of the broader Pacific Ocean.[1]

For defense analysts, the exercise is less about posturing and more about testing the mechanical reality of interoperability between two distinct command structures.[3]

The Russian Pacific Fleet has deployed a heavy-hitting task force led by the Slava-class guided-missile cruiser Varyag.

Joining the Varyag are the frigate Rezkiy, the large diesel-electric submarine Ufa, and the rescue vessel Igor Belousov, all of which arrived in Qingdao to a formal port welcome from the Chinese navy.

China’s Northern Theater Command Navy has matched this deployment with its own advanced surface combatants, including the guided-missile destroyers Kaifeng and Anshan.

The Chinese contingent is rounded out by the guided-missile frigate Wuhu, the comprehensive supply ship Kekexilihu, a submarine rescue ship, and an attack submarine.

The exercise is structured around three distinct phases, beginning with force assembly and harbor-based planning, where commanders from both nations establish shared communication protocols and tactical rules of engagement.

The core of the event is the at-sea operational phase, which focuses heavily on joint reconnaissance, integrated air and missile defense, and coordinated maritime strike operations.

By practicing anti-submarine warfare and surface strikes as a combined formation, the two navies are working to iron out the friction that naturally occurs when different radar systems, data links, and tactical doctrines overlap.

The inclusion of shipborne helicopters and specialized marine units further expands the scope of the drills, allowing for cross-deck landing exercises and joint search-and-rescue simulations.

The "Joint Sea" framework is not new; Beijing and Moscow have held these bilateral naval exercises annually since 2012, rotating the host location between Russian and Chinese waters.[1][2]

However, the geopolitical weight of the drills has shifted dramatically in recent years, particularly as Western capitals scrutinize the deepening ties between the two nations amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.[3]

The exercises arrive roughly two months after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Beijing, where he described the bilateral relationship as having reached an "unprecedentedly high level."[1][2]

Chinese President Xi Jinping echoed that sentiment, characterizing the strategic partnership as "unyielding" and framing the military cooperation as a stabilizing force against Western dominance.[1][2]

For regional neighbors like Japan and South Korea, the post-exercise joint patrols in the Pacific Ocean are the most closely watched element of the operation.

Previous joint patrols have seen Chinese and Russian vessels navigate through sensitive maritime chokepoints, prompting Tokyo and Seoul to scramble monitoring aircraft and track the fleets' movements.[1]

While China maintains that it is a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict and that the drills do not target any third country, the visual of Russian and Chinese warships operating in lockstep sends a clear deterrent signal.[2][3]

Ultimately, Joint Sea-2026 serves as both a practical laboratory for military integration and a highly visible diplomatic statement, reinforcing a partnership that continues to reshape the global security architecture.[1][3]