China and Russia begin joint naval Interaction exercises.

The Russian Navy and the Chinese Navy will hold joint Naval Interaction-2019 exercises from May 1 to May 4, the Russian Defense Ministry recently said in a statement. This annual bilateral drill will be about joint manoeuvring, organization of communication, missile and artillery firing, as well as search and rescue support.

Chinese sailors awaiting for Russian ones during a Chinese-Russian naval exercise (Picture Source: Russian MoD)

"A gala ceremony was held in the port of Qingdao where Pacific fleet warships arrived to open the bilateral Naval Interaction exercise. The Russian group includes the Varyag cruiser, the Admiral Vinogradov and the Admiral Tributs big antisubmarine warfare ships, the Oslyabya amphibious assault ship, the Sovershenny corvette, the Igor Belousov rescue vessel and the Irkut tanker.

During the drills, the Russian and Chinese sailors will practice joint manoeuvring, organization of communication, missile and artillery firing at sea and air targets, as well as search and rescue (SAR) support missions.

The Chinese Defense Ministry said last December that mutual political trust and military cooperation between Russia and China had reached record levels, as evidenced by the numerous bilateral military exchanges and joint participation in major drills. The ministry also praised Russian-Chinese cooperation on maintaining regional stability, as well as on vital international issues.

Russia and China maintain close cooperation in several areas including defence, energy and the economy, as well as a regular political dialogue at the UN Security Council and other international platforms. The Chinese Foreign Ministry defines Beijing's ties with Moscow as a "comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination".

The Russian group of the Pacific Fleet includes the Varyag, the Admiral Vinogradov and the Admiral Tributs, the Oslyabya, the Sovershenny corvette, the Igor Belousov rescue vessel and the Irkut tanker.