Chinese and Russian Warships Encircle Japan in Joint Military Patrol
Chinese and Russian naval forces have conducted a joint patrol around Japan, involving three Chinese naval vessels and a Russian Navy corvette. The patrol, which began on July 13, included a passage through the western Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Sea of Japan. The Japanese Ministry of Defence reported that the Chinese ships completed a circumnavigation of the Japanese archipelago, raising concerns about Japan's national security. This joint patrol marks the first time Chinese and Russian ships have transited the Vries Strait in the Kuril Islands together, an area also claimed by Japan. 
