China-Russia navies conduct real combat drill

China's Harbin missile destroyer fires at a target during the China-Russia joint naval drill on East China Sea, May 24, 2014. The three-day drill "Joint Sea-2014" ended successfully on Saturday. The Chinese and Russian navies staged exercises, including joint escort drill, joint aircraft identification exercise and air defense and maritime assault drills. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)

The Chinese and Russian navies on Saturday concluded real combat drill on the East China Sea, with real weapons being used.

Chinese and Russian warships taking part in the ongoing "Joint Sea-2014" drill conducted joint anti-submarine on Saturday morning. The exercise was a free combat as it was with no pre-planned scenario, no compulsory exercise, or no information of the imaginary enemy, the first time of its kind in all joint drill between China and other countries.

The two navies used real weapons in drill on the afternoon, with eight ships firing main guns, high-speed guns, rocket depth charges. The two navies also conducted maritime search and rescue exercise.

A total of 14 ships took part in the three-day real combat drill, exercising joint escorts, search and rescue, identification, anti-submarine and the freeing of hijacked ships, among other actions.

Li Yigang, captain of the Zhengzhou destroyer, flagship of the Chinese warships joining the drill, said as warships and aircrafts of the two navies shared their tactics, technical performances and data with each other, and showed their respective tactical thoughts and weapon performance.

"With the joint drill, the two navies can cooperate more efficiently in jointly coping with maritime security threats," Li added.

Commanders of the two navies will hold discussions on the drill on Monday next week, while China's Zhengzhou missile destroyer and Russia's Varyag missile cruiser will be open to citizens in Shanghai for visit on the same day.