The Chinese and Russian navies today began a nine-day joint drill. It is the second such drill this year.
The Joint Sea-2015 II exercise is being held in the Peter the Great Gulf, waters off the Clerk Cape and the Sea of Japan.
A total of 23 vessels and two submarines are participating. Chinese navy supply ship the Taihu Lake conducted its mission to supply three warships.
China's defense ministry said in July that a key purpose of the drills is to "further enhance their capabilities of jointly coping with maritime security threats."
China and Russia have held five joint naval exercises since 2005.
China-Russia joint military drill no reason for concern
As China and Russia started the second phase of an annual joint naval drill Thursday off the coast of Vladivostok, quite a few worrywarts have found themselves attracted to the sensational claim that the two countries are stepping up efforts to forge a military alliance.
They have fallen prey to the idea partly because earlier reports by Western news organizations almost unanimously wove some carefully chosen facts into the background of the news of the Joint Sea-2015 (II) exercise so as to deliver home a false impression. >>>
