China and Russia will hold joint naval exercises in the waters and airspace off Qingdao next week, China’s defense ministry and Russian state media said.

After the drills, some forces from both sides will move to relevant areas of the Pacific Ocean to carry out joint maritime patrols, the statement said.

The exercises are described as an annual occurrence intended to jointly address security challenges and maintain regional peace and stability.

Russian state media reported that Russia’s Pacific Fleet had already dispatched ships—including a cruiser, a corvette, a diesel-electric submarine, and a rescue vessel—to participate in the July 6–13 drills.