Chinese Defense Ministry's regular press conference on April 30, 2015
Senior Colonel Geng Yansheng, spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense
(MND) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), answers reporters' questions
at a regular press conference on April 30, 2015:
http://eng.mod.gov.cn/TopNews/2015-04/30/content_4582748.htm
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Question:...According to Russian media reports, the navies of China and
Russia will hold a joint military exercise near the Black Sea in May. Could
you please confirm that?
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Answer:...As for the third question, according to the annual military
exchange plan between China and Russia, the navies of the two countries are
going to conduct a joint exercise code-named “Joint Sea 2015-I” in the
waters of the Mediterranean in mid-May. Nine surface ships from the Chinese
and Russian navies will take part in the joint exercise. China will send
three ships of 19th Chinese naval escort taskforce to take part in the joint
exercise. The three ships, namely, the Linyi ship, Weifang ship as well as
the Weishanhu ship, have just completed their escort mission in the Gulf of
Aden and waters off the Somali coast.

The subject of the joint exercise is protection of navigation safety in
the far seas. The drilling items in the exercise include maritime defense,
maritime replenishment, escort actions, joint operations to safeguard
navigation security as well as real weapon firing drill. The purpose of the
exercise is to strengthen the pragmatic cooperation between China and Russia
and to improve the capabilities of the two navies to deal with maritime
threats. What needs to be stressed is that, the joint exercise is not
targeting any third party and not related to the regional situation.
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Question: Regarding the naval exercise with Russia, is this the first time
the Chinese and Russian navies to hold joint exercise in the waters of the
Mediterranean? And is this exercise related to the situations in the
countries such as Syria and Libya?

Answer: As far as I know, it is the first time for the navies of the two
countries to conduct a joint exercise in that area. As I’ve mentioned in my
previous answer that this joint exercise is to be held according to the
annual exchange plan and is not related to regional situation and does not
target any third party.