China and Russia Launch Joint Sea-2026 Naval Exercises

China and Russia have kicked off their annual “Joint Sea-2026” naval exercise this week in waters off the port city of Qingdao in eastern China, deploying an array of warships, submarines, and aircraft in a display of deepening military cooperation between the two nations. The drills, announced on July 5 by China’s Ministry of National Defense, run from July 6 to July 13 and will be followed by joint maritime patrols in the Pacific Ocean.

A Show of Naval Force

The exercise brings together significant naval assets from both countries. Russia’s Pacific Fleet has deployed the guided-missile cruiser Varyag, a Slava-class vessel often described as a “carrier-killer,” along with the frigate Rezkiy, the large diesel-electric submarine Ufa, and the rescue vessel Igor Belousov. China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy, drawing primarily from the Northern Theater Command, has committed the guided-missile destroyers Kaifeng and Anshan, the guided-missile frigate Wuhu, the supply ship Kekexilihu, the submarine rescue ship Yangchenghu, and one submarine. Both sides have also assigned shipborne helicopters and marine units.

According to Xinhua News Agency, all participating forces had assembled in Qingdao by Sunday, with a welcome ceremony held for the Russian task force at the military port. The Russian vessels arrived on the same day the exercises were announced, signaling close coordination between the two navies.

Exercise Structure and Objectives

Themed “joint response to maritime security threats,” Joint Sea-2026 is structured in three phases: force assembly, port planning and coordination, and at-sea operations. Training scenarios include joint reconnaissance, air and missile defense, and maritime strike operations. Personnel from both sides will also engage in professional exchanges, visit each other’s vessels, and participate in cultural activities such as a friendly basketball match.

China’s Ministry of National Defense stated that the drill is “part of the annual cooperation plan between the two militaries and is aimed at jointly responding to security challenges and safeguarding regional peace and stability.” Following the main exercise, some forces from both sides will conduct a joint maritime patrol in unspecified areas of the Pacific Ocean, extending the operational scope beyond the immediate exercise zone.

Deepening Strategic Partnership

The exercises come just six weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s May 2026 visit to Beijing, where he described bilateral relations as having reached an “unprecedentedly high level.” Chinese President Xi Jinping characterized the partnership as “unshakeable” during the same visit, underscoring the trajectory of a relationship that has strengthened significantly over the past decade.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times that China-Russia naval and air joint exercises “have increasingly become routine and are now conducted on an annual rotating basis.” He noted that both sides committed core operational naval forces to the exercise, reflecting “the scale of the operation and its elevated level of realism and combat-oriented training.”

Song further explained that the joint operation is intended to “deter unilateral actions by certain countries, resist historical revisionism, and discourage behavior seen as undermining the security and well-being of neighboring countries.” The drills are also presented as a signal of closer China-Russia coordination in responding to regional actors viewed as unfriendly.

Geopolitical Context

The Joint Sea series of exercises began in 2012 and has since rotated between Chinese and Russian waters, including past iterations in the East China Sea, the Mediterranean, the South China Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Sea of Japan. Since 2023, the exercises have been followed by joint maritime patrols in the Pacific Ocean. Last year’s Joint Sea 2025 was held off Vladivostok, Russia, and included joint maneuvers, submarine rescue, air defense, anti-ship operations, and replenishment at sea.

The latest drills occur against a backdrop of heightened Western scrutiny of the China-Russia partnership. While China has never condemned Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, instead calling for peace talks and positioning itself as neutral, Western capitals have regularly accused Beijing of providing Moscow with crucial economic support for its war effort, including dual-use technologies and trade that helps Russia bypass sanctions.

Japan and other Asia-Pacific nations have expressed concern over increasing Chinese and Russian military activity near their waters. The US maintains military alliances with Japan, South Korea, and other regional partners, and the exercises are widely viewed by analysts as evidence of a growing military axis between Beijing and Moscow that challenges the US-led international order.

What to Watch For

As Joint Sea-2026 unfolds, key questions remain about the scope of the post-exercise Pacific patrols and whether they will approach Japanese or other territorial waters. The long-term trajectory of China-Russia military cooperation — and whether it is moving toward a formal military alliance — will continue to shape regional security dynamics in the Asia-Pacific and beyond.

For now, the sight of Russian and Chinese warships operating together off the coast of Qingdao serves as a tangible reminder of a partnership that shows no signs of slowing down.