Russia and China are preparing to take their military cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region a step further with a joint exercise in the Yellow Sea. A group of warships from Russia's Pacific Fleet has arrived at the Qingdao naval base in China's Shandong province for the 'Maritime Interaction-2026' exercise, scheduled for July 6-13, 2026.
At a welcoming ceremony in Qingdao, the Russian leader of the exercise, Rear Admiral Sergey Sinko, said that this exercise series has become a tradition and that its scale and complexity increase every year. Sinko emphasized that the main goal of the exercises is to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries and to serve peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
Rear Admiral Sinko stated, "I believe that during the upcoming joint activities we will continue the glorious traditions of naval brotherhood, share our invaluable professional experience, and once again reaffirm our shared commitment to peace and stability at sea."
Strong participation from both fleets
Significant naval assets from both countries will take part in the exercise. Russia will be represented by the cruiser 'Varyag', the corvette 'Rezkiy', the submarine 'Ufa', and the rescue vessel 'Igor Belousov'.
The People's Liberation Army Navy of China will contribute the destroyers 'Anshan' and 'Kaifeng', the frigate 'Wuhu', a 'Yuan'-class submarine, the supply ship 'Kekexili-hu', and the rescue vessel 'Yanchenghu'.