BEIJING, Oct. 26 -- The guided-missile destroyer Nanchang (Hull 101) of the Chinese PLA Navy successfully completed the China-Russia joint naval exercise Joint Sea-2021 and the first joint maritime cruise, returning to a military port in Qingdao on the afternoon of October 24. Rear Admiral Bai Yaoping , director of the Chinese side and deputy commander of the navy under the PLA Northern Theater Command, said that the successful practice of the China-Russia joint naval exercise Joint Sea-2021 fully embodies the high strategic mutual trust between the two countries, and the strong traditional friendship between the two militaries. It also marks that the capability of the two navies in jointly responding to maritime security threats has reached an unprecedented new height.
In his opinion, this mission has three distinctive new features compared with the past. The first is the high efficiency. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the two sides did not set up joint director department, joint command or other exercise commands ashore. The Chinese participating troops headed to the exercise site without assembly preparations. The second is close to actual combat. There has been no rehearsal before the exercise, and the operational instructions were issued completely according to the on-site conditions. These practices are more in line with the reality of the naval chain of command. The third is that breakthroughs have been made in many aspects. It is the first time for the PLA Navy to dispatch aircraft for the exercise in far ocean through Russia, as well as to send Type 055 destroyer and multi-type equipment for joint exercise abroad, which has led to a new mode of joint operations between the Chinese and Russian navies for the first time.
During the missions, the Chinese and Russian navies always grasped the positioning of the "China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era". The two sides have worked in tacit coordination and achieved plentiful achievements, Bai said.
The two navies’ capability in conducting joint operations in far seas and responding to maritime security threats, as well as their organization and implementation methods of the joint maritime exercises, has been fully optimized, he stressed. Besides, the two sides also explored and established a regular joint cruise organization and consultation mechanism, which would provide strong support for the subsequent improvement, added Bai.
As for the improvement of Chinese commanding officers, unprecedented proposition has placed higher demands on their combat techniques, since even a subtle movement of the naval fleet might lead to political and diplomatic issues, with the exercise themed on maintaining the security of strategic maritime channels. "This joint exercise has played a very good role in improving the strategic literacy of our commanders at all levels," said the Rear Admiral.
On the basis of the successful experience gained this time, the prospective China-Russia joint military exercises will inevitably be continuously adjusted according to the regional security situation and battlefield condition. However, there will be one thing that never changes, that is, the joint military exercise between China and Russia will always aim to maintain world peace and development, and maintain regional security and stability, he stressed.
