Chinese vessels return after taking part in exercises, patrol with Russia

Two Chinese Coast Guard vessels returned to their home port in East China on Thursday after completing the "Pacific Patrol-2024" joint exercise and patrol with Russian counterparts.

The fleet set sail from Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, on Sept 13, traversing the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Bering Sea, and the Chukchi Sea before entering the Arctic Ocean, according to a news release from the CCG.

The ships returned to Zhoushan on Thursday after a 35-day mission, covering a total distance of over 17,000 nautical miles and accumulating more than 1,200 hours of navigation.

The CCG said that the mission is a routine part of its annual plan, not targeting any specific country, region, or objective.

The mission complies with international law and practices and is unrelated to the current international and regional situations, it said.

In mid-September, ships of China and Russia conducted joint exercises, such as vessel searches, intercepting and inspecting suspected criminal ships, and rescuing persons overboard and vessels on fire, testing their ability to jointly handle maritime security risks, in the waters near Russia's Peter the Great Bay.

After transitioning to the joint patrol on Sept 21, the vessels cooperated closely and efficiently, forming a flotilla for the first time to patrol the high seas of the North Pacific, in accordance with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 46/215 and the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fisheries Resources in the North Pacific Ocean.

The vessels from both sides conducted inspections and supervision of operating ships, actively maintaining order in fisheries production on the high seas of the North Pacific, the news release said.

It said that the joint exercise and patrol with the Russian coast guard is significant for deepening mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries' coast guards and for maintaining security and stability in the North Pacific maritime area.