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Phoebe Zhang

Russian naval and air forces will join the Chinese military for drills later this month in the Sea of Japan, or East Sea, and Sea of Okhotsk, as tensions simmer between Beijing and Tokyo.
The “Northern/Interaction-2024” exercises aim to “deepen the level of strategic coordination between the Chinese and Russian militaries, and enhance their ability to jointly respond to security threats”, China’s defence ministry announced on Monday.
Additionally, Chinese and Russian naval fleets will hold their fifth joint patrol in the Pacific, and China will take part in Russia’s “Ocean-2024” strategic exercise, according to the ministry statement, which did not mention the dates for any of the drills.
Northern/Interaction-2024 marks the second time that both the Russian navy and air force will join routine drills with their Chinese counterparts in strategic waters near Japan.


Last year, China sent five warships and four ship-borne helicopters from the eastern port of Qingdao to rendezvous with Russian forces for the “Northern/Interaction-2023” drills held between July 20 to 23.
The warships were the guided-missile destroyers Qiqihar and Guiyang, frigates Zaozhuang and Rizhao, and the comprehensive replenishment ship Taihu.
The Chinese air force sent multiple types of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters to the drills, including the Y-20 large transport aircraft, KJ-500 early warning aircraft, J-16 fighter jet and the Z-20 helicopter.
News of this year’s Northern/Interaction comes just two months after the two navies carried out drills code-named “Joint Sea-2024” in the South China Sea. The five-day exercise in July started at a military port in China’s southern Guangdong province, and included on-map military simulation and tactical coordination exercises.
In recent years, both China and Russia have stressed the importance of their strategic partnership aimed at countering the influence of the United States.
A joint statement following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing in May said the two sides would “further deepen mutual military trust and cooperation” by expanding the scale of joint military exercises, carrying out regular joint maritime and air patrols, and strengthening coordination under bilateral and multilateral frames.
The latest drills come at a time of wider geopolitical tensions, and increasing military exercises from both China and Japan, with Tokyo deepening defence ties with Washington and other allies as it perceives Beijing as a growing threat.
In July, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned that relations with Japan were at a “critical stage” and risked going backwards.
Apart from historical grievances and long-running territorial dispute in the East China Sea, Beijing has also been angered by Japan’s increasing support for US pressures on China, including efforts to limit its access to advanced microchips.


Japan has reported an increase in Chinese military manoeuvring near its shores in the past few months, most recently on August 31, when the Japanese foreign ministry said a Chinese naval survey vessel entered the Tokara Strait off southern Japan.
Observers interpreted the sailing as part of Chinese efforts to test the defences of the US and its allies in the region.
Meanwhile, Japanese defence forces have been conducting a series of joint exercises with other players in the region. In July, Japan hosted the first-ever joint drills with the air forces of Germany, France and Spain. The Japanese defence ministry described the exercises as aimed at deepening cooperation with the three European countries towards the “realisation of a ‘free and open Indo-Pacific’”.
“This month, we also conducted bilateral exercises with the Turkish Navy, the Royal Netherlands Navy, and the Indian Navy in the waters around Japan. The successive visits to the Indo-Pacific region by the armed forces of these countries are proof of the countries’ willingness and ability to engage in the region,” Defence Minister Minoru Kihara said on June 25.


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Second such joint drills in as many years come amid tensions between Beijing and Tokyo over support for US efforts to pressure China


Second such joint drills in as many years come amid tensions between Beijing and Tokyo over support for US efforts to pressure China.


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