Joint Sea-2016: Russia-China naval drills

Joint Russian-Chinese naval drill "Joint Sea-2016" was held in the South China Sea on September 12-19.

Russia and China highlighted that the drills were not targeted against third parties.

The marines of the two countries practiced defending ships, saving and liberating ships.

The main aim of drills was to boost capabilities of the two fleets in joint counteraction to security threats at sea, to increase the level of cooperation between Russian and Chinese military sailors.

Military servicemen practiced organization of all types of ship defence, conduct combat firing at naval and aerial targets.

The troops performed landing operation in course of the sortie.

Drills become another joint Russian-Chinese contribution to strengthening security in the Asia Pacific.

The first "Joint Sea" drills were held on April 22-27, 2012 in the Yellow Sea near the city of Qingdao in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong province.

Twenty-five ships and submarines, 13 planes, nine helicopters and two special forces units took part in the drills in 2012.