Russia signs MoU with Chinese navy

No deal on joint Arctic navy exercises, but Russia and China agree on search and rescue cooperation on the world’s oceans.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) stipulates for expanded cooperation in the field of search and rescue (SAR) at sea, the Russian Defence Ministry informs.

Admiral Moiseev, who until recently headed the Northern Fleet, signed the MoU with the Chinese top navy brass when visiting Qingdao where the 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium took place this weekend.

Among the 29 participating countries at the symposium are France, Australia, India, in addition to Russia who has its Pacific fleet based in Vladivostok and on the Kamchatka Peninsula.

No agreement so far on joint exercises 

With 180 foreign participants, the Chinese navy says this year’s symposium reflects the influence and appeal of the Chinese navy.

Although cooperating more on search- and rescue, the Russian and Chinese navies have still not agreed on any formal joint Arctic voyages or exercises in the Euro-Arctic waters.

Last August, the United States deployed four warships near the Alaskan coast as more than ten Russian and Chinese ships operated together in the Bering Sea, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Chinese Coast Guard officials last April signed a memorandum with Russia’s FSB Coast Guard in Murmansk. The agreement opens for law enforcement cooperation at sea, the Barents Observer reported. China then participated as observer as FSB conducted its anti-terror exercise “Arctic Patrol 2023” in the Kola Bay.

Related stories from around the North: 

Canada: Canada pledges billions for defence, falls short of NATO’s 2%, CBC News

Finland: Military exercise apparently disrupts weather images from Lapland, Yle News

Iceland: Iceland authorizes U.S. submarine service visits, Eye on the Arctic 

Norway: Against Russian aggression: Norway signs security agreement with Ukraine, The Independent Barents Observer