Chinese and Russian warships are conducting joint military exercises dubbed the “Northern Interaction 2023” in the Sea of Japan.

The PLA Daily detailed the event, reporting that the Chinese Surface Action Group (SAG) deployed for the operation included five ships: two destroyers, CNS Guiyang (119) and CNS Qiqihar (121); two frigates, CNS Zaozhuang (542) and CNS Rizhao (598); and a fleet oiler, CNS Taihu (889). Complementing the Chinese fleet was the Russian Navy SAG, featuring two destroyers, RFS Admiral Panteleyev (548) and RFS Admiral Tributs (564), along with two corvettes, RFS Gremyashchiy (337) and RFS Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov (339).

As these developments unfolded, Japan closely monitored the PLA SAG’s maneuvers. Japan’s Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada publicly acknowledged the growing military cooperation between Russia and China, displayed by joint bomber flights and at-sea exercises.

Hamada confirmed that Japan’s Ministry of Defense and Self-Defense Forces would maintain their vigilance, closely observing military developments near Japan. Hamada said, “The Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces will continue to take a keen interest in the military developments of China and Russia in the vicinity of Japan, and will make every effort to collect and analyze information, and will take all possible measures in surveillance.”