More than 30 planes and helicopters are involved in the maneuvers from both sides
Moscow. July 20. INTERFAX - The Russian-Chinese naval exercises "North/Interaction-2023" have started in the waters of the Sea of Japan, the Pacific Fleet (Pacific Fleet) reported.
According to the fleet headquarters, "in accordance with the plan of international military cooperation, a joint Russian-Chinese naval exercise "North/Interaction - 2023" is being held in the waters of the Sea of Japan from July 20 to 23.
"The main purpose of the exercise is to strengthen naval cooperation between the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, maintain stability and peace in the Asia-Pacific region," the statement said.
In the course of joint actions, anti-submarine tasks and naval combat, sea and air escort of ships, protection and defense of detachments of ships when parked on an unprotected roadstead, ensuring the security of communications in the waters and airspace of the Sea of Japan will be practiced. It is planned to carry out joint artillery firing, the press service of the fleet informs.
According to her, the Russian Navy is represented at the exercises by large anti-submarine ships of the Pacific Fleet "Admiral Tributs" and "Admiral Panteleev", corvettes "Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov" and "Gremyashchy", support vessels.
"Also, more than 30 naval aviation aircraft, including anti-submarine planes and helicopters, interceptor fighters, are involved in the exercise from both sides. A joint headquarters has been formed to lead the exercise on board the destroyer Tsitsikar," the report said.
The actions of the Russian ships are led by the commander of the Primorsky Flotilla of the heterogeneous forces of the Pacific Fleet, Rear Admiral Valery Kazakov.
From the Navy of the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA), the destroyers "Qiqihar" and "Guiyang", the patrol ships "Zaozhuang" and "Zhizhao", the ship of complex supply "Taihu" are involved in the exercises. The senior from the Chinese side is the Deputy commander of the North Sea Fleet, Rear Admiral Qiu Wanshen.
The Russian military department has published footage of the beginning of the coalition naval exercises of the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, which shows how the ships and aircraft of the armies of the two countries are starting to work out combat training tasks.
Rear Admiral Kazakov notes in a video message that "good, friendly relations have developed between Russia and China."
"It has become a good practice to conduct joint international Russian-Chinese exercises. This year, the Russian-Chinese exercises "North" are being held in the waters of the Sea of Japan/Your action is 2023". During these exercises, the crews of the ships of both sides will work out joint actions to search for a submarine, work out interaction to repel enemy air attacks, conduct joint firing at sea and air targets, and also increase the level of combat and naval training," Kazakov stressed.
According to him, the actions of the Russian Navy and the Chinese PLA "strengthen international cooperation between Russia and China.
Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of the People's Republic of China reported that the joint maneuvers are aimed at "ensuring the security of strategic waterways."
According to the Chinese military department, the exercises will be held "in the Northern Theater of military operations in the central part of the Sea of Japan."
The Chinese ministry stated that the purpose of the exercises is "to increase the level of strategic cooperation between the two armies, as well as to improve the ability to jointly maintain regional peace and stability, respond to various security challenges."
The Chinese English-language newspaper Global Times writes that a feature of the current exercises will be that the Chinese Air Force Y-20 transport aircraft, the KJ-500 early warning aircraft, the J-16 jet fighter and the Z-20 helicopter will take off and land at Russian airfields. They have already arrived in Vladivostok.
During the earlier joint Sino-Russian patrol, strategic bombers used each other's airfields. This time, "it's the turn of tactical aviation," Fu Qianshao, a Chinese expert on military aviation, told the publication earlier,
In his opinion, "since the Sea of Japan is on Russia's doorstep, Chinese military aircraft operating from Russian airfields would significantly reduce the response time when countering threats in this sea."
Fu Jianshao stressed that "this indicates a high level of strategic mutual trust between the two countries."
Russia and China regularly conduct bilateral naval exercises, as well as joint strategic aviation patrols in the Asia-Pacific region.
In July, a detachment of ships of the Pacific Fleet entered the Shanghai naval base of the Chinese Navy - the corvettes "Loud" and "Perfect", the tanker "Pechenga".
