China and Russia kicked off three-day naval drills in the Sea of Japan on Sunday, August 3, 2025, aiming to reinforce their military coordination and counter perceived influence of a U.S.-led global system.
The exercises are being held near Vladivostok and will run from August 1 to 5, under the name “Joint Sea‑2025” or “Maritime Interaction‑2025” .
The drills are reported to be defensive in nature and not directed at any other country, according to Russia’s Pacific Fleet.
Personnel are conducting live artillery sessions, anti-submarine warfare training, air defence drills, missile interception exercises, and coordinated search and rescue operations.
Naval assets include a large Russian anti-submarine vessel, two Chinese guided-missile destroyers—Shaoxing and Urumqi—diesel-electric submarines from both nations, and a Chinese submarine rescue ship.
It is reportedly the first time a Chinese submarine has docked in Russia during such maneuvers, underscoring growing operational cooperation .
Once drills conclude, both navies plan to carry out joint patrols in adjacent parts of the Pacific Ocean, extending their maritime presence beyond the exercise zone.
These annual “Joint Sea” drills, initiated in 2012, rotate between the Sea of Japan and waters off China’s southern coast.
Observers note that ties between Beijing and Moscow have deepened since the launch of their “no‑limits” strategic partnership shortly before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
These naval exercises serve both to rehearse coordinated operations and to signal deterrence to rival powers amid rising global tensions .