This weekend, Russian and Chinese warships participated in their first ever joint patrol in western Pacific Ocean.
Moscow and Beijing held naval cooperation drills in Japan’s Sea of Japan earlier this month. This was at a time when relations between the two countries have been strained.
The naval manoeuvres were watched closely by Japan, which said earlier this week that a group of ten vessels from China and Russia sailed through the Tsugaru Strait that separates Japan’s main island of Honshu and its northern one of Hokkaido.
Russia’s defense ministry confirmed that the two superpowers had been cooperating in the Strait, which are considered international waters.
Russian and Chinese warships teamed up for their first-ever join patrol in the Tsugaru Strait between Japan’s main island of Honshu and its northern one of Hokkaido
After Vladimir Putin demonstrated Russia’s military power to the world last week through massive ‘invasion war games’ in the Black Sea, near Ukraine, the partnership between China Russia and China was formed.
Moscow and Beijing have been able to build closer military and diplomat ties during a time of deteriorating relations with the West in recent years.
It was a show of strength just days after China revealed it had tested hypersonic nuclear-capable missile this week, which experts said suggested the Chinese was much more advanced than it was previously thought
Japanese authorities announced earlier this week that a group of ten vessels representing Russia and China sailed through Tsugaru Strait. This is considered international waters.
Russia’s defence ministry stated that the ships had passed through the Tsugarustrait for the first time during the patrol. It stated that the patrols’ tasks included the display of the Russian and Chinese state flags and maintaining peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region. They also guardianship of subjects involved in maritime economic activities.
The naval manoeuvres will not help ease the geopolitical strain between the West and its fellow superpowers of China and Russia
Russia’s defence ministry stated in a statement that a group of ships passed through Tsugaru Strait first time as part the patrol.
It said that the patrols were responsible for the display of the Russian- and Chinese state flags, maintaining peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region, and guardianship over the subjects of maritime economic activity of the two countries.
It comes as Vladimir Putin showed off Russia’s military strength to the world last week with a huge ‘invasion’ war games staged in the Black Sea near Ukraine.
More than 40 Russian vessels, 30+ military planes, and 20 helicopters participated in exercises in Crimea. These included missile launches, practice bombings, and landings by amphibious troops.
Five unnamed intelligence sources were cited by the Financial Times. They said that the Long March rocket was launched in August by the Chinese military carrying a hypersonic glide vehicle into low orbit. It circled around the globe before it landed on its target. It missed its target by only two dozen miles. The system could defeat the US anti-ballistic missile defense systems, which are based in Alaska. It would also be set up to shoot down projectiles over the North Pole. The Chinese system would be capable of striking the US from the south.
Pictured: China launches Shenzhou-13 spacecraft, October 16, 2016. It was launched aboard the Long March-2F carrier rocket and transported to the Chinese Tiangong space station.
Sunday saw warships, warplanes, and other military aircraft of the Aukus alliance travel through the Bay of Bengal, led by HMS Queen Elizabeth (the Royal Navy’s flagship carrier), on Sunday as they return from a deployment in South China Sea.
Weapons race: A comparison (columns starting from left) of the most advanced (columns starting from left) missiles and aircraft carriers, tanks, and aircraft owned by the US, China, and Russia
The Royal Navy’s flagship £3billion carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth led warships from the Aukus alliance of the US, UK and Australia through the Bay of Bengal this week (File image)
The display will likely only heighten tensions after it emerged that China tested a hypersonic nuclear-capable missile this week.
The missile is able to strike almost anywhere in the world, which experts warned suggested Beijing’s arsenal was more advanced than previously thought.
The Aukus alliance, which was formed by Australia, the UK and the US last month, is designed to counter the threat posed China and Russia.
Warships from those countries sailed through the Bay of Bengal this week on the fleet’s way back from a deployment in the South China Sea, led by the Royal Navy’s flagship £3billion carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.