Russian Pacific Fleet warships have arrived in Qingdao for joint naval drills with China, the Defense Ministry announced on Sunday.
The exercises, set to run for nearly a week, will feature search‑and‑rescue operations, anti‑submarine and air‑defense drills, and live‑fire artillery exercises.
A welcoming ceremony saw sailors from both navies exchange handshakes while children presented flowers to the visiting crews.
The diesel‑electric submarine Ufa and the rescue ship Igor Belousov docked at the Qingdao naval base, marking the first time Russian vessels have operated in the area for this exercise.
The drills are part of an annual cooperation plan aimed at addressing shared security challenges and maintaining regional peace and stability, and will be followed by joint maritime patrols in the Pacific.
Russia and China have been expanding military cooperation alongside growing political and economic ties, a trend that accelerated after a high‑level visit in which both leaders signed over 40 agreements.
The leaders also agreed to extend a friendship treaty first signed in 2001, describing the partnership as unprecedented and the highest level in history.
