China-Russia Joint Sea-2026 Drills Begin in Qingdao

China and Russia launched the “Joint Sea-2026” naval exercise on July 6 at a military port in Qingdao, Shandong Province, deploying advanced warships, submarines, and support vessels from both navies in a display of deepening bilateral military cooperation. The week-long exercise, running through July 13, features a rare exclusive interview with the Chinese chief director published by People’s Daily, offering unprecedented insight into the strategic objectives and combat realism of the drills.

Context: A Decade of Growing Naval Partnership

The “Joint Sea” series began in 2012 and has evolved from symbolic bilateral drills into what the Chinese chief director describes as “a brand with considerable international influence.” The exercises now occur on an annual rotating basis between China and Russia, reflecting what both nations characterize as a “comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.” Last year’s Joint Sea 2025 was held off Vladivostok, Russia, and included joint maneuvers, submarine rescue, air defense, and anti-ship operations.

Forces Deployed

According to the Xinhua News Agency, the Russian Pacific Fleet has contributed the guided-missile cruiser Varyag (flagship), the corvette Rezkiy, the improved Kilo-class submarine Ufa, and the rescue ship Igor Belousov. The Chinese PLA Navy’s North Sea Fleet has deployed the Type 052D guided-missile destroyers Kaifeng and Anshan, the Type 054A frigate Wuhu, the Type 903 supply ship Kekexilihu, the submarine rescue ship Yangchenghu, and one submarine. Both sides have assigned shipborne helicopters and marine personnel.

The Global Times quoted Chinese military expert Song Zhongping, who noted that both sides committed core operational naval forces, underscoring the scale and elevated level of realism. “China deployed advanced frontline surface combatants, reflecting a high level of participation,” Song said, adding that Russia’s deployment of the cruiser Varyag demonstrated similar commitment.

Exercise Structure and Training

The exercise is organized around the theme “joint response to maritime security threats” and unfolds in three phases: force assembly, port-side planning and coordination, and at-sea operations. The China Ministry of National Defense confirmed that following the exercise, some forces from both sides will conduct a joint maritime patrol in relevant areas of the Pacific Ocean.

In his exclusive interview, the Chinese chief director emphasized that all training subjects are designed based on real maritime combat scenarios, taking into account multi-dimensional security risks underwater, on the surface, and in the air. The curriculum covers joint reconnaissance, air and missile defense, maritime strike operations, anti-submarine warfare, submarine rescue, and live-fire training. “Staying close to the real maritime and air combat environment throughout, with a focus on combat orientation, is one of the most distinctive features of this exercise,” the commander stated.

Five Areas of Capability Enhancement

The Chinese chief director outlined five key areas where the exercise aims to improve joint operational capabilities. First, the mixed grouping of Chinese and Russian forces forces personnel to overcome language barriers and different command systems for intelligence sharing and force deployment. Second, underwater operations benefit from Russian expertise in submarine cooperative detection and emergency rescue. Third, multi-dimensional air-sea combat training integrates air defense, maritime strike, and carrier-based aircraft coordination. Fourth, open-ocean logistics capabilities are tested through full-spectrum maritime replenishment and emergency response procedures. Fifth, far-seas risk management draws on Russian experience in handling maritime security threats in distant waters.

Geopolitical Implications

The exercise takes place amid intensifying Indo-Pacific military competition surrounding Taiwan, the South China Sea, and expanding U.S. alliance structures including QUAD, AUKUS, and Japan-Philippines cooperation. The Yellow Sea and East China Sea location near Qingdao ensures maximum geopolitical visibility. The CGTN reported that the exercise aims to demonstrate both sides’ resolve and capability to respond jointly to maritime security threats and safeguard international and regional peace and stability.

Song Zhongping told the Global Times 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 post-exercise Pacific patrol, in particular, normalizes sustained combined deployments across sea lanes traditionally dominated by the U.S. Navy.

Looking Ahead

The Chinese chief director characterized the exercise as “a new important fulcrum for China-Russia naval cooperation” that will “continuously push pragmatic cooperation in the maritime defense field to a higher level.” However, despite expanding cooperation, Joint Sea-2026 does not represent evidence of a formal Sino-Russian military alliance. Both countries maintain distinct geopolitical priorities — China focused on Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific, Russia focused on Europe and Ukraine — and operational interoperability remains selective rather than comprehensive.

As the at-sea phase of the exercise commences and the subsequent Pacific patrol unfolds, regional actors including Japan, South Korea, and the United States will be closely monitoring the scale and reach of this increasingly institutionalized naval partnership.