China’s coastguard takes part in first Arctic patrol with Russia
The ships entered the ocean on Tuesday, China’s national day, in an exercise closely monitored by the US
Chinese state media released photos and footage on Wednesday to mark the country’s first coastguard patrol in the Arctic in a joint exercise with Russia.
The ships entered the ocean during Tuesday’s National Day holiday, marking the 75th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.
China’s state broadcaster CCTV said the latest exercise was the first joint coastguard exercise between the two countries and four ships had travelled to the Arctic from the north Pacific.
The joint maritime patrols will help the two countries improve coordinated law enforcement at sea and increase the operation scope of China’s coastguards, CCTV has previously said.
China’s coastguard said the operation had “significantly expanded the range of offshore operations, thoroughly tested vessels’ ability to carry out missions in unfamiliar waters, and provided strong support for actively participating in international and regional maritime governance”.
