The Russian Pacific Fleet announced that after holding joint exercises in the Sea of Japan, Russian and Chinese naval vessels will carry out joint patrols in the Asia-Pacific region.
According to Russian media Interfax, the Pacific Fleet's press office released a statement: “Officers and soldiers of the Russian Navy and China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy will form a new formation to carry out joint patrol missions in the Asia-Pacific region.”
The report stated that Russia and China regularly hold maritime exercises and conduct joint vessel patrols in the Asia-Pacific region. Since 2019, Moscow and Beijing have also jointly dispatched bombers to conduct air joint patrols in the Asia-Pacific.
Russian Chief of the General Staff Gerasimov said in December 2022 that a series of joint military exercises between Russia and China are a response to the strengthening of the U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific.
From August 1 to 6, China and Russia hosted a joint maritime drill themed “Jointly Responding to Security Threats in the Western Pacific.” At that time, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense stressed that the exercises were not aimed at any third party and unrelated to the current international and regional situation. However, some analysts believe the intent to target a third party through the joint exercises was obvious, with Beijing and Moscow hoping to strengthen joint operational capabilities in response to the threat of Western nations led by the United States holding military drills in the Western Pacific.