China, Iran, Russia to Hold Joint Naval Drill: Chinese Ministry
APP
Beijing: The Chinese Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that China will soon hold a joint naval exercise with Iran and Russia near Iran, with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy sending a destroyer and a replenishment ship.
A Chinese expert stated that the drill will help safeguard security in the strategically important energy shipping region.
In early and mid-March, the navies of China, Iran, and Russia will hold the Security Belt-2025 joint exercise in areas near Iran’s Chabahar Port, the Chinese Defense Ministry announced on its official Weibo account on Sunday.
The drill will feature training courses, including maritime target strike, VBSS (visit, board, search, and seizure), damage control, as well as joint search and rescue operations, according to a statement from the ministry. It aims to deepen military mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation among the participating countries’ troops.
Security Belt-2025 will be the fifth China-Iran-Russia joint naval exercise since 2019. Joint exercises among China, Iran, and Russia have become routine, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times.
As revealed by the Chinese Defense Ministry, the drill will mainly focus on training courses in non-traditional security fields, contributing to regional security, Song said.
The exercise will take place off the Iranian port of Chabahar in the Gulf of Oman, a crucial gateway between the Strait of Hormuz and the Indian Ocean, making it a strategic pathway essential for energy shipping, Song noted.
He further highlighted that the three participating countries have energy cooperation as well as significant strategic interests in maintaining peace and stability in the region.
China will send the destroyer Baotou and the replenishment ship Gaoyouhu from the PLA Navy’s 47th escort task group, the Defense Ministry stated.
The Baotou is a Type 052D guided missile destroyer, while the Gaoyouhu is a Type 903A comprehensive replenishment ship. Prior to this drill, the two PLA Navy warships also participated in the AMAN-2025 multinational maritime exercise in Pakistan in early to mid-February.
Zhang Junshe, another Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times that warships from the PLA Navy’s escort task groups to the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia frequently participate in joint exercises with foreign countries.
The Type 052D destroyer and Type 903A replenishment ship form a flotilla capable of diverse military operations with strong combat power and endurance, Zhang said.
