China, Russia hold joint naval drills

China and Russia held a joint naval exercise off Qingdao in July, extending a long-running series of bilateral drills that both governments presented as routine military cooperation. China’s Ministry of National Defense said on July 5 that the two navies would stage the “Joint Sea-2026” exercise in waters and airspace near the eastern Chinese port city before sending some participating forces on a joint patrol in the Pacific Ocean. Chinese state media said the exercise formally opened on July 6 at a military port in Qingdao, Shandong province, with a joint command structure and task forces from both navies. The drill ran through July 13 and was the 12th in the “Joint Sea” series that began in 2012, according to Chinese military statements. ### Which exercise was this, and where was it held? (eng.chinamil.com.cn) Qingdao was the host port for “Joint Sea-2026,” which China said would unfold in nearby waters and airspace in three phases: force assembly, harbor planning and at-sea operations. Chinese military statements said the exercise was designed to test joint reconnaissance, search and rescue, air defense and anti-submarine operations. (eng.chinamil.com.cn) July 9 marked the start of live maritime drills in designated waters near Qingdao, according to Chinese military coverage republished by naval-focused outlets. Chinese and Russian vessels then carried out formation sailing and other sea tasks before the exercise ended on July 13, official statements said. ### Which ships and forces took part? Official Chinese imagery published around the exercise identified several participating vessels, including Russia’s missile cruiser Varyag. (eng.chinamil.com.cn) Chinese military coverage also published a lineup of participating naval vessels, while outside naval analysts said official images showed both Chinese and Russian submarines taking part. (seawaves.com) China’s defense ministry did not frame the drill as a response to a specific event. Its July 5 statement said only that the exercise and follow-on patrol were part of an annual cooperation plan between the two militaries. ### What did the two sides say the drills were for? China’s Ministry of National Defense said the exercise was aimed at “further deepening the strategic mutual trust and practical cooperation” between the two armed forces. (eng.chinamil.com.cn) Chinese state media said a joint command was set up for the operation, underscoring the focus on interoperability rather than a one-off port visit. (eng.chinamil.com.cn) Russian coverage of the exercise used the parallel name “Maritime Interaction-2026” and described a coastal stage in Qingdao that included map-based planning, staff coordination and exchanges between crews. That account tracked closely with the Chinese description of a harbor phase followed by sea operations. ### Was there a patrol after the exercise? (eng.chinamil.com.cn) China’s July 5 announcement said some forces from both sides would conduct a joint maritime patrol in relevant areas of the Pacific Ocean after the exercise. The statement did not specify the patrol route or duration. July 13 was the formal end date for the Qingdao exercise, according to Chinese military statements and Xinhua coverage. (en.iz.ru) Any follow-on patrol would therefore have come after that port and sea phase concluded. ### Why did the drill draw attention beyond the ships involved? The exercise drew notice because it came as Beijing and Moscow continued to advertise closer military coordination in public statements. (eng.chinamil.com.cn) Chinese official coverage emphasized the scale and visibility of the operation with photos, aerial footage and named vessels, while outside analysts pointed to submarine participation as a notable feature of the 2026 edition. (eng.mod.gov.cn) The next concrete marker in the official timeline was the planned joint maritime patrol in the Pacific, which China’s defense ministry announced before the exercise began. (eng.chinamil.com.cn 1) (eng.chinamil.com.cn 2)