China, Russia Conclude Naval Drill
Russia and China naval forces concluded their first-ever joint military exercise in the Mediterranean Sea this morning, according to an online news briefing from the Chinese Defense Ministry.
The naval drill code-named “Joint Sea 2015” was held from May 17 to 21 and involved nine ships from both countries. On Wednesday, the two navies conducted replenishment and escort exercises.
"Naval forces of both countries made concerted efforts to explore new formats of joint exercises, and learn valuable experience from each other, which has made the drills a success," said Du Jingchen, deputy commander of the Navy of the People's Liberation Army of China and the drill director of the Chinese side.
China's Weishanhu supply ship conducted parallel replenishment simulation with ships from both navies throughout the day.
The joint drills involved six Russian surface ships and three Chinese vessels. Among them, the Moscow missile cruiser is the most powerful. The drills are staged in four phases, focusing on maritime defense, replenishment and escort.
Alexander Fedotenkov, deputy commander of the Russian Navy, spoke highly of the professionalism of both navies, saying that as the drills were conducted far from naval bases of the two countries, they demonstrated that Russia and China are capable of dealing with new threats and challenges at sea and safeguarding the strategic stability in every waters of World Ocean.
Observers say that the drill fits with both nations’ desire to be perceived as global naval powers. The naval drill also signals to the West that the Mediterranean is no longer NATO’s Mare Nostrum as it has been the case for most of the 1990s and early 2000s.
The naval exercise off NATO’s weak southern underbelly were a signal from Russia and China that if the West can meddle in Eastern Europe (against Russia) and the Asia-Pacific (against Chinese interests), then two can play the game.