Chinese, Russian warships return from joint drill

All warships participating in the China-Russia joint naval drill returned to a Shanghai port Sunday.

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

A total of 14 warships, two submarines, nine airplanes and six helicopters from both sides took part in the three-day drill named "Joint Sea-2014".

Tian Zhong, deputy commander of the Chinese Navy and the Chinese director of the "Joint Sea-2014", told reporters in Shanghai that the drill fulfilled its goals.

Chinese and Russian navies improved their cooperation in planning, organizing and operating combat missions, Tian said.

In the drill, the two navies carried out diversified missions and deployed various monitoring and communication technologies while their personnel, from seamen to officers, interacted fully, he said.

"Holding joint drills will be the most important, regular and systematic way of cooperation between the two navies," he said.

As two major countries in the Asia-Pacific region, China and Russia have common interests and shared responsibilities to maintain peace and stability in the region, Tian said.

"Building of comprehensive relations of strategic cooperation and partnership between China and Russia and their armed forces will help the two countries cope with new threats and challenges, develop concrete cooperation between their navies and jointly maintain and promote peace and stability in the region," he said.

The two countries have a new type of relationship between major players, instead of military allies, he said, adding that their cooperation does not target a third country.

Fedotenkov, deputy commander of Russian Navy and Russian director of the drill, told reporters that in the drill Chinese and Russian navies learned from each other and improved their capacity of carrying out joint military missions.

"The two navies conducted the joint drill under complex circumstances and fulfilled the set targets," he said. "Despite complicated environment and harassment from a third country, we completed all missions."

Russian and Chinese fleets should take the peacekeeping responsibilities not only in the Asia-Pacific but also a broader area of the world, he said.

Besides the Pacific Fleet that took part in this drill, Russia would like to include its Black See Fleet and Baltic Fleet in future cooperation with Chinese navy, he said.

Commanders of the two navies will hold discussions on the drill on Monday, 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.