The fourth joint maritime cruise operation between China and Russia has received high attention from the US and Japanese media. On the 5th, the News Network of the American Naval Academy reported that the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force dispatched aircraft to closely monitor Chinese and Russian ships. Kyodo News Agency also stated that the Japanese Ministry of Defense has stated that it will continue to monitor the military movements of China and Russia, and will ensure flawless vigilance and surveillance activities. Chinese military experts interviewed by Global Times reporters stated that the joint maritime patrols between China and Russia have been conducted four times and have normalized, not targeting third parties, and are not related to the current regional security situation. On the 4th, Russian satellite news agency quoted the news agency of the Russian Pacific Fleet as saying that the Russian "Perfect" light frigate will conduct joint cruises with Chinese warship formations. The press release stated that "the Pacific Fleet's" Perfect "light frigate has arrived at the rendezvous point with the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy warship formation near Jeju Island to carry out the fourth Russia China joint cruise mission in the Asia Pacific region." The news shows that both sides plan to exercise anti submarine, air defense, and maritime search and rescue operations during the joint maritime patrol. According to Kyodo News Agency, the Joint Staff Supervision Department of the Japanese Ministry of Defense announced on the 5th that a total of four Chinese and Russian naval vessels were found to be sailing together in the Pacific direction from the 4th to the 5th through the Otsu Strait near Kagoshima Prefecture. The Japanese Ministry of Defense stated that this is the fourth time since last year that Chinese and Russian warships have been found to be sailing together around Japan, and it is also the third time since September 2022 that the two countries have confirmed that their warships are crossing the Otsu Strait together. Chinese military expert Zhang Junshe stated in an interview with Global Times on the 7th that since 2021, China Russia joint maritime patrols have been conducted four times and have achieved normalization. According to public information analysis, some of these joint maritime patrols were conducted after joint naval exercises between China and Russia, while others were organized separately. The joint maritime cruise between China and Russia involves Vladivostok, the headquarters of the Russian Pacific Fleet. It passes through the Sea of Japan, the Tsugaru Strait, the Otsu Strait, and the Tsushima Strait before entering the East China Sea, Pacific Ocean, and other waters for cruising, reaching as far as the western and northern Pacific Ocean Zhang Junshe analyzed and said. According to the news website of the US Naval Academy, the Russian Pacific Fleet stated that the purpose of the joint maritime cruise between Russia and China is to strengthen cooperation between the Russian and Chinese navies, maintain peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region, monitor relevant waters, and protect the maritime economic facilities of Russia and China. Regarding the significance of joint maritime patrols between China and Russia, Zhang Junshe stated that both countries are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and shoulder the heavy responsibility of maintaining world peace and stability. Both countries advocate and uphold true multilateralism, oppose hegemonic actions and confrontations in international relations, and the joint maritime patrols of the navies of China and Russia are not aimed at third parties and are not related to the current regional security situation. According to convention, during joint maritime patrols, the naval vessels of the two countries will also conduct exercises such as air defense, anti submarine, and maritime search and rescue. Regarding this, Zhang Junshe stated that firstly, these course exercises will help further deepen the strategic mutual trust between the two armies of the two countries. In courses such as anti submarine and air defense, sensitive data such as radar and sonar from China and Russia must be made public to each other, which requires a high level of strategic mutual trust between the two sides and can further deepen strategic mutual trust. Secondly, during the joint cruise, both sides can enhance their respective naval maritime combat capabilities through exercises such as anti submarine, air defense, and maritime search and rescue. These courses are the basic combat capabilities that a country's navy must possess. In addition, the purpose of maritime search and rescue exercises has also laid a good foundation for the navies of both countries to provide humanitarian assistance during maritime disasters, which helps to maintain maritime security. Unlike the Pacific Rim military exercise, this year's Sino Russian maritime joint cruise is underway as the United States led "Pacific Rim 2024" multinational joint naval exercise is underway. The coincidence of the two major military operations in terms of timing has attracted high attention from the outside world. The Pacific Rim 2024 military exercise will begin on June 27th in Hawaii and its surrounding waters. The exercise lasted until August 1st, covering multiple areas of combat, including anti submarine, multi ship surface combat, multi country amphibious landing, defense exercises for aircraft carrier strike groups, and live combat exercises. This year, 29 countries and regions, 40 surface vessels, 3 submarines, 14 ground forces, and over 150 aircraft participated in joint exercises. Regarding this, Zhang Junshe analyzed that the nature of the Sino Russian maritime joint cruise and the "Pacific Rim 2024" exercise is completely different. "The most typical example is the anti submarine, air defense, and other course exercises organized by the Chinese and Russian navies, which are essential tactical skills for a country's navy to carry out maritime defense operations. They are not targeted and do not target any country. In contrast, the US led 'Pacific Rim 2024' exercise, the most eye-catching of which is the so-called 'sinking' exercise, targets a 40000 ton large amphibious assault ship, and simulates the US military intervention in the event of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait. It is obvious that the 'Pacific Rim 2024' exercise is full of Cold War thinking and a strong atmosphere of confrontation. Currently, the Chinese and Russian officials have not announced the area of the joint maritime cruise, according to Zhang Junshe." In addition to previously joint cruising areas such as the East China Sea, western Pacific, and northern Pacific, "The maritime joint cruising fleet does not rule out cruising in other waters, such as the eastern and southern Pacific Ocean. This is normal and fully in line with international law and practice. The outside world should not be overly alarmed or interpret it." (Xinhua)