The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's guided missile destroyer Xining moves toward an exercise zone. The second phase of the Northern/Interaction-2024 joint exercise between China and Russia kicks off with an opening ceremony in a Russian naval port on September 21, 2024. Photo: Screenshot from the social media account of the PLA Navy

The ongoing China-Russia joint military exercise has entered its second phase, in which warships from the two countries are scheduled to hold live-fire drill sessions in the Sea of Japan, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Taking place simultaneously with a China-Russia joint coast guard exercise and patrol, the China-Russia military maneuvers once again highlighted a high level of security and defense cooperation between the two countries, experts said.

The opening ceremony of the Northern/Interaction-2024 joint exercise was held at a Russian naval port on Saturday, after which warships from the two navies set out and maneuvered toward the exercise zone, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy said in a press release on Saturday.

Forces from the two sides will hold joint drill sessions over objectives including maritime and air escort, alert and defense, air defense and anti-missile, and live-fire shooting.

A Chinese commander said at the opening ceremony that the Northern/Interaction series of drills has developed a mature mechanism with standardized procedures, and the drill scenarios are becoming closer to real combat, per the release.

A press release from the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday that the joint detachment of ships set out from Vladivostok and would hold exercises in the waters of the Sea of Japan during the week.

The Chinese naval forces including destroyers Xining and Wuxi, frigate Linyi and supply ship Taihu rendezvoused with their Russian counterparts on September 9 and held the first phase of the drill in waters and airspaces of the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk until September 15, according to previous releases by the PLA Navy.

The drill is separated into two phases because the first phase was held concurrently with Russia's Ocean-2024 strategic exercise, and the second phase is a standalone session, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday.

Zhang Junshe, another Chinese military expert, told the Global Times that consecutive military interactions show that the two countries are boosting strategic cooperation. This is conducive to global peace and stability as the two countries are both permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Besides the military drill, the two countries' coast guards held a joint drill near the Peter the Great Bay from September 16 to 20, and started a joint patrol in international waters of the North Pacific on September 21, according to the China Coast Guard. This showed a high level of security and defense cooperation, which includes military and law enforcement. This is conducive to the maintenance of international maritime order and the advancement of ocean governance, experts said.