China and Russia launched joint naval drills on Sunday near the Russian port city of Vladivostok, marking the latest step in their expanding strategic and military partnership. The exercises, known as Joint Sea 2025, are scheduled to last three days.
China has dispatched four warships for the operation, including the guided-missile destroyers Shaoxing and Urumqi, while Russia is contributing vessels from its Pacific Fleet. Although Moscow has not disclosed the specific ships involved, the Russian Navy has confirmed participation at a significant scale.
The drills are set to focus on submarine rescue operations, joint anti-submarine warfare, air defense, missile interception, and maritime combat coordination. Following the exercise, both navies plan to conduct joint patrols in the Pacific Ocean.
Officials from both nations have stated that the drills are defensive in nature and not aimed at any third country. However, Japan’s Ministry of Defense raised concerns about the implications of closer China-Russia military ties in the region.
This year’s Joint Sea exercise is the latest in a series of military collaborations that have increased dramatically since 2022. The Sea of Japan operation follows the Northern/Interaction-2024 exercises, which took place in the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk, involving combined naval and air forces.
The Joint Sea series, launched in 2012, has evolved into a major component of Russia-China defense coordination. Last year’s drills were held off China’s southern coast, part of a rotating structure to project reach and capability across the region. Since 2003, Moscow and Beijing have conducted over 100 joint drills.
The timing of the drills comes amid heightened tensions in the Indo-Pacific. The Trump administration has sought to pivot U.S. military resources to the region in an effort to counter China. In parallel, Russian officials have voiced concern over increasing U.S. military deployments in East Asia, a shared view that has helped tighten the security partnership between Moscow and Beijing.
Meanwhile, Washington has recently urged Japan and Australia to clarify their positions in the event of a conflict with China. Both allies have expressed hesitation about taking frontline roles in such a scenario, especially as the U.S. maintains a stance of “strategic ambiguity” regarding potential military intervention in a conflict over Taiwan.