MOSCOW, May 7 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Pacific Fleet and the Chinese navy will conduct a joint large-scale cooperative training exercise scheduled for mid-May, a military spokesman told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.
“In the middle of May, Russian ships will head towards Shanghai, where they are to take part in the large-scale Naval Cooperation-2014 drill with the navy of China’s People’s Liberation Army, to take place in the South China Sea,” said Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov.
This will be the two countries' third such joint training exercise, aimed at strengthening the cooperation of their fleets and the ability to withstand various threats in open water.
The last drill of the kind took place in July 2013 in the Sea of Japan and involved about 20 ships and vessels from both sides.
The Pacific squadron, led by the guided-missile cruiser Varyag, put to sea for the exercise on Wednesday, Martov said. The squadron crew will train in cooperative maneuvering and helicopter landings at sea as well perform rescue operations and air and sea target shooting, he added.
