China, Russia navies to hold drills off China coast

The Chinese and Russian navies will hold joint exercises in the waters ‌and airspace ⁠off ⁠the Chinese city of Qingdao next ​week, China’s defence ministry and Russian state ​media said on Sunday.

“Following the exercises, some of the forces ​from both sides will ⁠proceed to ‌relevant areas of ​the ​Pacific Ocean to carry ⁠out joint maritime patrols,” it said in ​a statement.

The drills are an ​annual occurrence, “aimed at jointly addressing security challenges and maintaining regional peace and stability”, it said.

Russian state-run RIA news agency ‌said a cruiser, a corvette, a diesel-electric submarine and ​a ​rescue vessel ⁠from Russia’s Pacific Fleet had arrived in Qingdao to participate in the drills, which ​would run from July 6 to 13.