China and Russia hold drills amid Trump's nuclear submarine remarks
Illustrative photo: naval military exercises (Getty Images)
Following Trump’s bold statements about nuclear submarines, Beijing and Moscow responded with demonstrative exercises. In the Sea of Japan, vessels from both countries are conducting combat coordination drills, according to Reuters.
On Sunday, August 3, near Russia’s Vladivostok, Russia and China launched joint three-day naval drills.
The exercise reflects the no-limits strategic partnership signed by the two countries in 2022. As a result, Moscow and Beijing regularly conduct joint military training to strengthen inter-army coordination and send deterrence signals to their adversaries.
However, this particular drill is notable due to rising global tensions. Just two days before the maneuvers began, US President Donald Trump announced the deployment of two nuclear submarines to relevant regions in response to former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s statements about the risk of nuclear conflict.
The exercise, dubbed Joint Sea 2025, aims to bolster defense cooperation between Russia and China and demonstrate their combined military presence amid growing tensions in the Asia-Pacific region.
The drills involve ships from both nations, including a large Russian anti-submarine vessel and two Chinese destroyers, as well as diesel-electric submarines from both sides and a Chinese deep-sea rescue ship.
The training program encompasses a diverse range of combat scenarios, including submarine rescue operations, anti-submarine warfare, air and missile defense, and simulated naval battles.
Participants are practicing artillery fire, anti-submarine tactics, air defense operations, and joint search-and-rescue activities at sea.
Following the drills, the two sides plan to carry out a joint patrol in the Pacific Ocean.
Escalating rhetoric between Moscow and Washington
Recently, US President Donald Trump rebuked Dmitry Medvedev after he warned that setting a deadline for Russia to agree to a peace deal with Ukraine could push the world closer to war with the US.
In response, Medvedev published an emotional post alluding to apocalyptic scenarios, referencing zombie movies and the hypothetical Dead Hand nuclear response system.
