Russian corvettes in port Shanghai. China: 'strengthen the friendship between two countries'

The friendly visit of Russian corvettes to the port of Shanghai has further strengthened ties between the navies of China and Russia, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Tan Kefei said in a briefing on Friday. "From July 5 to July 11, a group of ships of the Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet corvettes Gromkiy and Sovershenny was in Shanghai,” Tan Kefei said. "This visit further strengthened the traditional friendship between the two countries' navies, in-depth friendly exchanges and practical cooperation."

During the visit of the Russian corvettes, the military of the two countries carried out professional and technical exchanges, as well as organized joint cultural and sporting events. After the Russian corvettes left the port of Shanghai, together with the Chinese navy ship Taiyuan, they conducted maneuvering, communication and search and rescue exercises in the waters east of the mouth of the Yangtze River."In the future, China is ready to work with Russia to strengthen communication between the two countries' navies at all levels, organize regular exercises and joint patrols," the official said.

A Chinese naval flotilla departed on July 16 to join Russian naval and air forces in the Sea of Japan in an exercise aimed at "safeguarding the security of strategic waterways". This is what the Chinese Ministry of Defense quoted by The Guardian reports. Codenamed `Northern/Interaction-2023´, the exercise highlights enhanced military cooperation between China and Russia for the war and in Ukraine.

The Chinese flotilla, consisting of five warships and four helicopters, has left the eastern port of Qingdao and will join Russian forces in a "predetermined area," the Chinese ministry said on its official WeChat account. Yesterday, July 15, Beijing had reported that the exercise in the Sea of Japan with the naval and area forces of Moscow would soon begin. It would be the first time both Russian forces have taken part in the maneuvers, according to the Chinese newspaper Global Times.