Geopolitical tensions are escalating as Russia and China begin joint military drills in the Sea of Japan, just a day after US President Donald Trump ordered US nuclear submarines to approach Russian waters.
The drills, dubbed Joint Sea-2025, involve four Chinese naval vessels, including the guided-missile destroyers Shaoxing and Urumqi, alongside the Russian navy in waters near Vladivostok, Russia's main Pacific port.
China's Defense Ministry said in a statement that the three-day drills will include submarine rescue operations, anti-submarine attacks, air defense and anti-missile drills, followed by joint patrols in Pacific waters.
Although both countries said the drills were planned in advance and did not target any third party, Japan has expressed serious concerns about Beijing-Moscow's increased military cooperation, which is seen as threatening regional security.
Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang accused the US of stoking tensions through joint exercises with Japan and other allies in the Asia-Pacific region.
Since the signing of the “unlimited strategic partnership” agreement between Russia and China in 2022, military ties between the two superpowers have been seen to be getting closer, with more than 40 meetings between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.
In a related development, Trump said the order to send the US nuclear submarines was made in response to Dmitry Medvedev’s statement that he considered “very provocative” and destabilizing between the world’s two largest nuclear powers.
The location of the nuclear submarines is usually kept secret, making this action a clear signal that tensions are at a critical level.
