BEIJING, August 25. /TASS/. Joint defensive operations will be the main theme of a Russian-Chinese naval exercise in the South China Sea next month, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said on Thursday.

"Joint defensive operations on the high seas will be the main theme of the exercise," the Defense Ministry’s website quotes Wu as saying.

According to the official, Russia and China held consultations in Zhanjiang, Guandong Province in South China over holding the exercise to agree the plan for the exercise and measures to protect communication means and provide logistics support.

"The two sides explored the site of the exercise and the related infrastructures," he said.

The Russian-Chinese naval exercise Joint Sea-2016 will be held on September 12-19.

According to the chief of information support at the Eastern Military District’s press service for the Pacific Fleet, Captain 2nd class Vladimir Matveyev Russia’s Pacific Fleet and China’s Navy will focus on measures to ensure protection of naval ships on the sea and hold a joint amphibious operation in the South China Sea.