Chinese and Russian navies launch Joint Sea 2025 drills in Vladivostok, solidifying anti-imperialist military cooperation and safeguarding regional peace in the Western Pacific.

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On Thursday, July 31, 2025, Chinese naval vessels arrived at the Russian port of Vladivostok, marking the beginning of the eleventh “Joint Sea” exercise,an emblematic display of military coordination and solidarity between the two nations. This year’s joint naval drills, running from August 1 to 6, reflect a strategic response to the Western military buildup in Asia and provide a model for multipolar international security.

China and Russia’s historic collaboration is rooted in their shared resistance to unilateralism and imperialist aggression. According to both sides, the “Joint Sea” series serves as a practical demonstration of the deep strategic consensus formed by Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.

The maneuvers encompass anti-submarine and anti-aircraft defenses, joint search and rescue, and complex tactical coordination that illustrate the high level of trust and interoperability between the two nations’ fleets. As stated by Chinese military officials, these recurring drills underscore the commitment “to jointly defend international fairness and justice and maintain regional peace and stability”.

The fleets’ assembly in Vladivostok includes China’s cutting-edge guided-missile destroyers and Russian anti-submarine frigates, presenting a formidable joint presence in the Sea of Japan. Chinese and Russian officers emphasized during the opening ceremony that such cooperation is not targeting any third party, but instead actively seeks to “safeguard the tranquility and security of the seas of the Asia-Pacific region” in the face of persistent provocations from NATO and allied states.

This year’s joint exercise is especially significant, taking place as the United States and its allies conduct massive parallel war games in the Pacific, openly aimed at encircling and intimidating sovereign nations. Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang directly criticized this Western militarization, affirming that Sino-Russian drills provide a peaceful yet robust answer to “constant muscle-flexing in the Asia-Pacific region,” and denouncing attempts to “undermine peace and stability in the region” through coercive tactics.

Furthermore, the continued annual nature of China-Russia joint sea operations not only enhances the defense capabilities of both countries, but also creates opportunities for “imposing new rules on the international system”,challenging the dominance of a single global power and bolstering alternative poles of influence for the Global South.

After the conclusion of the “Maritime Cooperation 2025” exercises, participating contingents will extend their mission into a sixth joint maritime patrol, further strengthening the coordinated presence of these anti-imperialist allies in key strategic waters.

While Western narratives often frame these deepening ties as destabilizing, China and Russia assert that their coordinated actions contribute to “international fairness, justice, and true security for all peoples.”

As both fleets operate side by side in the Sea of Japan, the joint message is unambiguous: the future belongs to those powers who champion dialogue, mutual respect, and resistance to neocolonial intervention.

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