Moscow: Russia and China have initiated a new round of joint naval patrols in the Asia-Pacific region, signaling growing military coordination between the two nations. The announcement, made via the Russian news agency Interfax and confirmed by Reuters on August 6, 2025, follows a series of extensive maritime exercises that have drawn increasing international attention.
The new patrol formation comes shortly after the completion of Maritime Interaction-2025, a bilateral military exercise held in the Sea of Japan on August 3. The drills included complex artillery maneuvers, anti-submarine warfare, air-defense training, and search-and-rescue operations. Naval assets involved ranged from Russia’s large anti-submarine ships to Chinese destroyers, diesel-electric submarines, and a submarine rescue vessel.
These operations are part of a broader strategic partnership between Moscow and Beijing, which has intensified since the two countries declared a “no-limits” alliance in early 2022. While both nations insist the drills are routine and not directed at any specific country, their growing frequency and geographical scope are raising concerns among neighboring states and Western allies.
In addition to the recent Sea of Japan operations, China is also preparing to host the annual Joint Sea-2025 naval exercise near the port of Vladivostok, facing Japan’s west coast. Although specific dates for this event have not yet been disclosed, it will mark the sixth consecutive year of such joint patrols.
The increased coordination is not limited to sea. In July 2025, Russian and Chinese strategic bombers carried out joint air patrols near Alaska, prompting the U.S. and Canada to scramble fighter jets in response. This marked an unprecedented show of coordinated military presence near North American airspace.
The United States has responded by stepping up its military readiness in the Indo-Pacific. In a separate move, President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of two nuclear submarines toward Russian waters, reacting to recent threats from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. This coincided with the ongoing maritime exercises, heightening tensions in the region.
Regional powers such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan have expressed growing unease over these developments. Japan’s latest defense white paper identified the expanding military cooperation between Russia and China as a primary security challenge. Similarly, Southeast Asian nations are watching closely, particularly in the context of disputed territories in the South China Sea and East China Sea.
Though both Moscow and Beijing maintain that their joint exercises are based on long-term planning and mutual defense goals, the increasing visibility and strategic messaging of these maneuvers are widely seen as an attempt to challenge U.S.-led alliances in the Indo-Pacific.
The emergence of a more assertive Russia-China military bloc is reshaping the balance of power across the Asia-Pacific. With more joint exercises expected in the coming months, analysts warn that this trend could lead to a new era of regional rivalry and strategic uncertainty.