According to the press service of the Pacific Fleet of Russia, the ships of the Russian and Chinese naval forces entered the Sea of Japan from Vladivostok as part of the"Maritime Interaction - 2025" exercise.

The exercise, which also includes air vehicles, will cover maritime search and rescue missions, as well as defense against submarines and aircraft. The exercise will last until August 5. Russia and China held their first joint military exercise in the Yellow Sea in 2005. The two countries have been conducting exercises in various regions since 2012.

THEY HAVE ALSO COLLABORATED IN THE PAST

Russia and China held their first joint military exercise in the Yellow Sea in 2005. This exercise was considered a significant turning point in the regional balance of power at the time. Since then, the two countries have gradually increased their strategic cooperation.

The exercises, which began in 2012 under the name"Naval Interaction," were held in various regions, including the South China Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Sea of Japan, and the Sea of Okhotsk. In 2017, Chinese warships participated in a joint exercise with the Russian Navy in the Baltic Sea for the first time, and this was closely watched in NATO countries.

In the 2021"Naval Interaction" exercise, both countries conducted joint maneuvers with mixed crews on each other's ships for the first time. Experts consider such cooperation an indication that the defense relationship between the two countries has"gone beyond symbolic cooperation."

Military analysts say that this latest exercise in the Sea of Japan is not only for military preparation but also for sending a common message regarding the balance of power in the Pacific.