Russia and China will hold joint military exercises of the Navy in the framework of the project “Sea interaction — 2017” in the Baltic sea from 21 to 28 July. Participation in the exercises will take 3 military Chinese ship, Russian 7 — a total of more than 10 and a military helicopter. NATO pays particular attention to the exercises carried out by Russia and China near the European countries. Naval forces of Britain, the naval forces of NATO and the Royal Netherlands Navy started a “relay” in which each country publishes a photograph of the meeting with the Chinese warships.
Despite the fact that the country’s on the Express words of “greeting”, but in reality are seriously concerned about the presence of China in the waters of the European “inland sea”. NATO believes that China thus seeks to expand military presence. In this regard, one observer told the reporter Huanqiu Shibao that Russian-Chinese exercises and exercises conducted by NATO countries, the scale can not be compared. Besides, he said that Russian-Chinese exercises are held according to certain regulations, China is committed to a policy of “isolation units” and is not going to unite with anyone against the “third party”.
The Russian news Agency Sputnik on 19 July published the news that the official representative of the Baltic fleet Roman Martov said on July 21 in Baltiysk the Kaliningrad region will host a meeting of Chinese ships led by the destroyer “Hefei”. The Russian Baltic fleet will produce a large anti-submarine ship “Courageous” to meet the Chinese Navy. The main objectives of the doctrine are considered: the gradual strengthening and development of interstate relations between Russia and China, improvement of the organizational work during the joint “Sea interaction”. He also stressed: “This is the first time the Navy of the people’s liberation army of China enters the waters of the Baltic sea.”
A day earlier, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation has announced that from 21 to 23 July, Russia and China will conduct ground exercises, and will also be consultations on the conduct of naval exercises. Warships of the two States will be open these days for free visits. Then, from 24 to 27 July, will begin exercises in the Baltic sea. The sailors of the two countries will work out the reflection of the anti-aircraft, anti-ship and anti-submarine attack of the conditional opponent. The exercise will involve about 10 warships, the Russian and Chinese Navy, 10 military planes and helicopters.
The Russian news Agency Sputnik reported that the Chinese Navy after exercises in the Baltic sea are in Saint Petersburg. It is reported that these exercises of the naval forces of Russia and China is only the first stage of the “Maritime cooperation 2017”. The two countries plan in September 2017 to conduct exercises in the sea of Okhotsk and sea of Japan, this is the second phase of joint exercises.
Russia and China hold annual joint naval exercises and change every year, carrying them in Russia, in China. For the first time in the country was found in 2012 in the Yellow sea near Qingdao, in 2013, Russia and China conducted joint exercises in the sea of Japan near Vladivostok, in 2014, the exercises were again held in China in the Northern part of the East China sea. In 2015, a joint exercise was divided into two phases: 1) a naval engagement took place in the Mediterranean sea 2) the teachings unfolded in the far East of Russia in the Peter the Great Bay in the sea of Japan. In 2016 the exercise was first conducted in the waters of the South China sea. Despite the fact that each time the exercises were planned, they still continue to attract the attention of the world. Reporter for Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao) Li Jie believes that the international community should take in response to this maneuver.
This year the military maneuvers of Russia and China is not as extensive as a few years ago. In 2015, the second stage of the exercise involved approximately 23 surface ships, 2 submarines, 15 aircraft and 8 helicopters, also involved were the marine corps and air force, these exercises were the most ambitious in the history of the two countries. Naval forces of China recently announced that destroyer of new type 052D frigate and a guided-missile armament 054A, including taking part in military maneuvers. An anonymous expert told the Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao): “Despite the fact that this year the exercises from the Chinese side involved only 3 warships to China, these exercises are of particular importance. These warships are one of the most new missile destroyer of China, the second — newest missile patrol ship, the third amphibious assault ship. They are able to demonstrate that Chinese naval forces are on the highest level.” Li Jie also said that the Chinese Navy ship for the first time will appear on the joint exercise and hopes that the ship will be able to show good results.
Russian Ambassador to China Andrey Denisov said that the exercises this year can be called “expedition”, as the Chinese side will take a long way to reach the venue of the exercise. This is something new for China.
