Russia-China Joint Sea-2026 naval drills begin in Qingdao

The Russia-China Joint Sea-2026 naval drills officially began on July 6 at the port of Qingdao, China. The opening ceremony was held at a naval base of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), with Rear Admiral Sergey Sinko of the Russian Navy and Rear Admiral Qiu Wensheng of the PLAN serving as exercise directors, according to a TASS correspondent. In his remarks, Rear Admiral Sinko emphasized that the drills are defensive in nature and are not directed against any third country. Following the ceremony, staff officers and commanding officers from both nations began discussions on tactical operations at sea, as well as the execution of search-and-rescue and other missions. The exercises are scheduled to take place in the Yellow Sea from July 6 to July 13. Participants include sailors from the Russian Navy and the PLAN, supported by naval aviation. The drills will involve joint search-and-rescue operations, anti-submarine warfare, air defense missions, and joint artillery firing exercises. One stage of the drills will focus on training to rescue the crew of a simulated distressed submarine using a deep-submergence rescue vehicle. According to Mehr News Agency, the Joint Sea-2026 drills underscore the ongoing military cooperation between Russia and China.