DefenseDefense ministry says some forces will 'proceed to relevant areas' of Pacific OceanA Chinese warship sails during the joint Navy exercise of Iran, China and Russia in the Gulf of Oman, Iran, March 12, 2025. (Handout via Reuters)July 5, 2026 11:38 JSTBEIJING (Reuters) -- The Chinese and Russian navies will hold joint exercises in the waters and airspace off the Chinese city of Qingdao this month, China's defense ministry said on Sunday."Following the exercises, some of the forces from both sides will proceed to relevant areas of the Pacific Ocean to carry out joint maritime patrols," it said in a statement.The drills are an annual occurrence, "aimed at jointly addressing security challenges and maintaining regional peace and stability," it said.