(ECNS) - The Chinese and Russian navies will host a joint exercise in the Sea of Japan for the first time, the Beijing Youth Daily reported Wednesday.
The exercise, codenamed Joint Sea-2015 (II), will stretch for over a week between August 20 and 28 in the Peter the Great Gulf, waters off the Clerk Cape, and the Sea of Japan.
The Chinese naval force to take part in the drill includes seven vessels, six helicopters, five fixed-wing aircraft, 200 marines, and 21 amphibious vehicles.
The Chinese warships set sail last Saturday and cruised through international waters in the Tsushima Strait on Monday, which connects the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea.
The drill does not target a third party, according to reports.
This is the first time that Chinese fixed-wing aircraft will participate in the drills, according to Zhang Junshe, a naval researcher. The exercises are aimed at improving naval defensive abilities.
It's the fifth joint naval drill between China and Russia since 2005, and their second in 2015.
