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9 Chinese warships spotted in East China Sea ahead of week-long joint drills with Russia

  • China and Russia to hold joint naval exercises in the waters from December 21 to 27, Russian media reports
  • Aircraft carrier Liaoning and Type 055 destroyer Lhasa among Chinese warships seen entering the western Pacific, Tokyo says

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The Lhasa, aType 055 destroyer of the Chinese navy, is expected to take part in the drills. Photo: Weibo
Liu Zhen
China and Russia will hold joint naval exercises in the East China Sea starting later this week, according to Russian media reports.

A detachment of Russia’s Pacific Fleet had left the far eastern port of Vladivostok for the “Maritime Cooperation 2022” exercise with China from December 21 to 27, Sputnik News quoted the Ministry of Defence in Moscow as saying on Monday.

The drills were to strengthen mutual naval cooperation as well as maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, a ministry statement said.

The Russian Pacific Fleet’s Varyag missile cruiser on its way to the joint naval drills with China. Photo: AP
The Russian Pacific Fleet’s Varyag missile cruiser on its way to the joint naval drills with China. Photo: AP

“The Russian fleet at the exercise will be represented by [the] Pacific Fleet flagship, the missile cruiser Varyag, the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, and [two] corvettes,” the ministry said.

At least nine Chinese navy warships had earlier entered the western Pacific through various routes, according to the Japanese Defence Ministry. These included the aircraft carrier Liaoning and Type 055 guided-missile destroyer Lhasa, Tokyo said in statements over the weekend.

It is not certain whether all nine will take part in the coming drills with Russia, but this year’s mobilisation appears to be larger than that for the last one.

The Liaoning was spotted transiting from the East China Sea to the western Pacific Ocean through the Miyako Strait, between Japan’s Miyako and Okinawa islands, last Friday. It was escorted by the Type 055 destroyer 103 Anshan, Type 052D destroyer Chengdu, Type 054A frigate Zaozhuang, and the Type 901 supply ship Hulunhu.

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