arctic

Nine ships of the Russian Navy and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy are conducting a combined patrol in North Pacific waters. These operations began after both Forces completed the North/Interaction 2024 naval exercise, on which occasion various training related to the fight against submarines was carried out.

One of the many combined naval exercises carried out between China and Russia. File photo. Credits: MinDef China

As reported by the Chinese Ministry of Defense, it is planned that during the combined patrols, ships from Russia and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy will carry out a series of training and combat exercises, including combat operations. anti-submarine warfare and maritime rescue. The Defense portfolio also detailed that the participating units include the Russian Navy destroyers “Admiral Panteleyev” and “RFS “Admiral Tributs”, as well as the corvettes MPK-107, MPK-82 and Smerch. For its part, the Chinese Navy arranged the presence of the destroyers “Wuxi”, “Xining”, the frigate “Linyi” and an oil tanker “Taihu”.

In previous days, some of the aforementioned ships had carried out intense exercises that took place in the Sea of ​​Japan and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. This naval deployment, which began on September 10showed the combined work and high levels of cooperation that both countries have achieved in recent years. Air and naval means operated in the vicinity of Japan, a situation that set off alarms since the previous weeks the violation of Japanese territorial airspace with the presence of a Chinese Shaanxi Y-9Z electronic warfare aircraft, belonging to the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

The presence of the Chinese and Russian ships will not go unnoticed by the US, since the US Navy also has naval units operating in the waters of the North Pacific, a usual presence that is part of the early warning and defense system established by the Armed Forces in the region.

Northern Exercise/Interaction 2024

It is worth noting that China and Russia have also recently carried out combined patrols in Arctic waters, a deployment in which Coast Guard vessels from both countries participated. From Beijing it was detailed that the exercise tested personnel on how to deal with threats to the security of maritime law enforcement, the interception of ships suspected of criminality, maritime rescue and firefighting. The combined activities began on September 21.

The growing interest in the waters of the Arctic and North Pacific is due to China’s interest in working together with Russia in the “Polar Silk Road” plan designed by Beijing, an initiative that seeks to take advantage of various opportunities that could arise due to climate change that is affecting the region.

China is turning its interest to the Arctic Northwest Passage, which links the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The limitation of this route is that it is open part of the year, however the effects of climate change increase the possibility that a permanent maritime route can be sustained, with the benefits that this would mean for the transit of merchant ships between Asia and Europe. .

Chinese and Russian Coast Guard ships sailing in Arctic waters

These intentions are considered by the US and other allies, since it is associated with a notable military presence, as has been seen in recent years. All the actors involved are playing their cards, with a clear alliance between Russia and China marked by the current dynamics, which is sustained by the search for common goals. Both in the military and commercial fields.

Illustrative cover image.

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