A Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel takes part in a joint Chinese-Russian coast guard exercise "Pacific Patrol - 2024" in Peter the Great Gulf in the Primorsky Region, on September 18,2024. This exercise marked the first time CCG ships came to Vladivostok, according to Tass. Photo: VCG

A formation of China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels will join Russian coast guard vessels on Saturday to form a task force and head to the high seas of the North Pacific Ocean to conduct joint patrols, following the joint drills between the two countries' coast guards that concluded on Friday, according to the CCG.

According to the annual plan of the CCG, a formation consisting of CCG vessels Meishan and Xiushan conducted joint drills with Russian coast guard vessels in Peter the Great Gulf in the Primorsky Region from Monday to Friday, according to a report by China Military Online.

The joint patrols by Chinese and Russian coast guards are conducted under a relevant United Nations General Assembly resolution and the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fisheries Resources in the North Pacific Ocean. Both documents are aimed at protecting marine biological resources and achieving sustainable development, said Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account affiliated with state broadcaster China Central Television.

The joint patrols in the North Pacific by Chinese and Russian coast guards under this framework are the first of its kind, said Yuyuan Tantian.

Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Friday that the joint patrols between Chinese and Russian coast guards are a collaboration between law enforcement agencies.

The joint drills and patrol operations have strengthened the role of the CCG on the global stage, aiding in the maintenance of international maritime order and advancing ocean governance. This event is significant as it enriches the CCG's tasks and serves as an important practical demonstration of its capabilities, Chen said.