Russia and China have agreed to conduct a joint naval drill in the Mediterranean Sea, a Russian media report cites the Defense Ministry. The countries’ fleets are currently involved in an intl operation to escort the Syrian chemical weapons stockpile.
The Defense Ministry said on Sunday that group of Russian naval
officers deployed onboard a heavy nuclear missile cruiser "Peter
the Great" visited Chinese frigate Yancheng.
“On board the Chinese patrol ship, Russian sailors discussed with
their foreign counterparts the possibility of joint tactical
exercises in the Mediterranean Sea. Under the agreement, such
exercises can be carried out in the near future in an effort to
improve the level of operational compatibility between Russian
and Chinese warships during joint operations in the eastern
Mediterranean,” the statement from the Ministry of Defense
said.
The main aim of the joint naval exercise would be to increase the
level of operational cooperation between the two navies designed
to tackle terrorist threats and improve joint rescue operations
at sea, the Ministry explained.
On January 7, both counties escorted the first consignment of
Syrian chemical weapons materials that has left the country on a
Danish ship. This became the first practical interaction between
the Russian and the Chinese navies.
The Chinese Department of Defense noted that Captain Pyshklov,
commanding officer of the Mediterranean Combat Group of the
Russian Navy, praised the performance of the Yancheng during the
escort operation, while his counterpart, Li Pengcheng spoke
highly of the important role the Russian Navy played in the
escort operation for the ships transporting Syria’s chemical
weapons.
In July, Russia and China held a three-day joint naval military
exercise. The “Naval Interaction-2013" in the open waters off the
Port of Vladivostok became China’s largest overseas military
exercises in terms of the number of troops deployed outside its
territorial waters. Seven Chinese warships including four
destroyers, two frigates and one comprehensive supply ship took
part in the war games.
Both Russian and Chinese ships have polished their skills in
joint air-defense and maritime replenishment. They have also
practiced tackling submarine threats and tested their skills in
joint escort and in rescuing a hijacked ship while shooting
maritime targets.
Russia and China have regularly held joint naval drills since
2005 within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization. However, “Naval Interaction-2013" was only the
second exercise conducted outside the SCO: the first was held in
April 2012.
In recent years, the Chinese navy has participated in a series of
joint exercises in the Pacific and Indian oceans, while Chinese
ground forces have taken part in land war games organized by the
SCO.