Russia and China made their first joint submarines patrol in the Pacific, according to reports of the state social media.
The patrol, led by diesel-electrical submarines, began in early August. The Russian submarine involved, the VolkhovIt has traveled about two thousand miles since its base in Vladostoch, according to a statement from the Pacific Fleet of Russia.
The submarines patrolled the Japan Sea and the East China Sea, the statement says.
China did not officially confirm the patrol, but the newspaper mentioned it in an article published on Wednesday, citing the Russian reports.
“The first joint patrol of submarines demonstrates a high level of mutual strategic confidence between China and Russia. Submarines coordination requires not only greater technical competence, but also deeper exchanges,” said Chinese military expert Zhang Junshe, quoted by Global Times.
“Through the exercises and joint patrols, the Chinese and Russian sea are gradually reinforcing their abilities to jointly safeguard maritime safety and stability,” added Zhang.
China and Russia have been intensifying their military cooperation in recent years.
In 2021, in an operation considered the first joint naval patrol between China and Russia in the Western Pacific, a fleet of 10 Chinese and Russian warships around Japan’s main island.
On Wednesday, the Russian news agency Tass reported that the purpose of these patrols is to “reinforce naval cooperation between the two countries, to ensure peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region, monitor maritime areas and protect Russian and Chinese maritime economic infrastructures.”
Beijing and Moscow have also expanded the reach of their cooperation. Since 2023, aerial patrols and navals have occurred near Alaska, including a joint patrol composed of four Chinese coastal guard ships and two Russian border guard at the Bering Sea, near the US and Russian border, according to a US Coastal Guard statement.
In another separate action, the US Coast Guard said earlier this month that it was monitoring the activities of five Chinese research ships in the US Arctic Waters.
However, the North America Aerospace Defense Command (NOAD) responded to at least four Russian surveillance aircraft flights that entered the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) last week, according to Command communications.
“This Russian activity in Alaska ADIZ occurs regularly and is not considered a threat,” said Norad in a statement.
However, an analysis of the NORAD communications indicates that four flights in a week is unusual. In July and April this year, the Russian planes were detected at ADIZ only once, and in February there were two raids, according to the same communications.