The Baltic Sea is thousands of miles away from the Chinese coast, yet the Chinese Navy is conducting a joint exercise with the russian navy. This exercise is a sign of close cooperation between Russia and China. A navy flotilla sailed from China into the Baltic to join the Russian Navy in war games that will continue till July 31. Such an exercise has never taken place before and the US will be wary of this development. The ability of the Chinese navy to operate thousands of miles away from its shores cannot be a good omen for the USA and its allies.This news is reported by BBC News.
Chinese warships and aim
China has sent its most advanced warships for the exercise. They will be berthed at Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave on the Baltic. The warships deployed by the Chinese are a destroyer, a missile frigate, and a supply ship. For the record, Chinese media have described the destroyer as a very advanced guided missile warship.The Chinese purpose is twofold. Firstly, they wish to show solidarity with Russia, and secondly they wish to show the world, and the West, the global reach of Chinese naval power. The flotilla sailed through the English Channel under escort of the Royal Navy. The Russian navy has also committed its advanced warships for the exercise. In addition, the SU-27 fighters based at Kaliningrad will take part.
This war game is cause for alarm to the USA and the peripheral nations who will wonder as to what is the aim of this exercise.China has claimed the exercise is not directed against anyone.
Joint China-Russia naval maneuvers not aimed at anyone, expert says https://t.co/wvdH6eWdSO pic.twitter.com/U2AzewIaAv
— China News 中国新闻网 (@Echinanews) July 21, 2017
The exercise
The exercise will run for a week and will feature all aspects of sea warfare.
They will also practice anti-piracy drills and hone search and rescue operations. The Chinese flotilla for the exercise is bigger than the Russian.The Dragon is expanding its military reach by building up its naval forces. It has also established its first overseas military base in Djibouti, a small country located in the Horn of Africa.
The base gives the Chinese navy a foothold to make its presence felt in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.
The war games in the Baltic Sea with the Russian navy is a show of force by the two allies. This exercise could be a reaction to a joint navy exercise between the United States, India, and Japan – in the Bay of Bengal earlier this month.Yahoo news has reported that many observers feel that the exercise is directed against NATO.The United States European Command is closely tracking the Baltic Sea exercises with China.
