BEIJING, May 14 (ChinaMil) -- Spokesperson of the Russian Pacific Fleet said on May 13 that six naval ships of the Russian Pacific Fleet were dispatched to participate in the Russia-China maritime joint military exercise codenamed “Maritime Cooperation 2014” to be held in the East China Sea.

Apart from the guided missile cruiser “Varyag”, flag ship of the Russian Pacific Fleet, all other taskforces have set sail on Tuesday and will hold drill at the Tsushima Strait during the voyage. All taskforces are expected to arrive at Wusongkou anchorage area in Shanghai, China, on May 17.

Meanwhile, Liang Yang, spokesperson for the Navy of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLAN), said on the same day that China and Russia will hold a maritime joint military exercise codenamed “Maritime Cooperation 2014” in the waters and airspace of the north of the East China Sea east to the Yangtze River estuary between May 20 to 26.

Previous China-Russia maritime joint military exercises/drills

Time: Jan 25, 2014

Location: Mediterranean Sea

Contents: Joint command, deck landing of ship-borne helicopters, joint air defense training, etc.

Feature: First China-Russia naval drill in Mediterranean Sea

Code name: “Maritime Cooperation 2013”

Time: July 5 to 12, 2013

Location: Peter the Great Gulf, Sea of Japan

Contents: anchorage defense, joint air defense, maritime replenishment, breaking through the area with submarine threat, joint rescue of hijacked ship, attacking maritime targets, maritime joint search and rescue, actual use of weapons on sea, maritime parade, etc.

Features: the “Maritime Cooperation 2013” is the first of its kind for the Chinese PLAN to send large vessel taskforce overseas for joint exercise far away from its naval base and without support system. China sent its best taskforce for the exercise.

Code name: “Maritime Cooperation 2012”

Time: April 22 to 27, 2012

Location: In the waters of the Yellow Sea, near Qingdao, Shandong province

Contents: joint air defense, maritime replenishment, joint anti-submarine, joint search and rescue, rescue of hijacked ship, as well as sea-to-sea, sea-to-underwater and sea-to-air live-fire practice

Features: The anti-submarine subject in the maritime joint exercise indicated that it was more than a regular military exercise or diplomatic activity, and that China and Russia attached great importance to the security cooperation on the sea. Besides, Russian guide missile cruiser “Varyag” and the PLA Navy’s guided missile destroyer “Shenyang” were opened to public for visit during the exercise.

Code name: “Peaceful Blue Shield 2009”

Time: September 18, 2009

Location: Western Gulf of Aden

Contents: Communication and rendezvous of two countries’ escorting taskforces, maneuvering, semaphore communication, replenishment while sailing, cooperation of ship-borne helicopters and warships to investigate over suspected ship, and shooting maritime targets by secondary gun.