Russia and China are the most important pillars of the multipolar world. From July 6 to 13, 2026, Moscow and Beijing jointly conducted the 12th Joint Maritime Exercise 2026.
We can say that the Joint Sea 2026 involved the most advanced and sophisticated surface as well as undersea vessels from both sides. China’s Ministry of National Defence also said that the naval military exercise also aimed to involve “waters and airspace,” which means that the naval air arms from both sides also participated. The exercises were aimed at “addressing security challenges and promoting peace and stability in the region.” The Xinhua News reported that the “two naval forces dispatched 10 vessels, including surface, underwater, aerial, and support units, to the exercise centered on jointly countering maritime security risks.” The Russian and Chinese navies “conducted live-force and live-fire subjects, including joint reconnaissance, anti-air and anti-missile defense, anti-surface strikes, and joint submarine rescue.”
Russia-China and the Multi-polar World
Russia and China are the most important pillars of the multipolar world. The American political science Professor Graham Allison said in 2018 that a strategic alliance was in the making between Russia and China. But we would like to know why Professor Graham said so. The West, under the leadership of the United States and with their military wing known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), is fully committed to damaging the national interests of Russia as well as China. With this policy of the West, they enlarged NATO against the promises that they made to the last Secretary General of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), Mr. Mikhail Gorbachev, that NATO would not move a single inch eastward. This promise was made by the then US Secretary of State James Baker. It is very astonishing that at that time the number of NATO military alliances was around 14, and now the NATO membership has grown and reached 32 sovereign states.
This apparent containment of Russia and swallowing of the former USSR states into NATO have caused severe resentment around the globe. This militarism and military brinkmanship of the West are damaging the West from within. Now, the belligerent administration in ordinary countries like Poland is acting as a bulwark of the West and is maintaining a hostile posture towards Russia. As a result and consequence, the free will people around the globe have started looking towards Russia and China, and the multilateral organizations like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the BRICS.
Japan’s Unnecessary Protest
The Joint Sea 2026 involved live firing of missiles and ordnance in open sea. The live fire took place near the Okinotorishima islands of Japan. It is important that the Okinotorishima islands are uninhabited coral atolls located in the Philippine Sea, almost around 1,700 km south of Japan’s Tokyo. Japan said that “We will continue to watch China-Russia operations around Japan with concern, while doing utmost for the warning and surveillance of the Japanese airspace and territorial waters.” Japan protested the Russia-China Joint Sea 2026, but this seawater is not Japan’s sovereign territory.
We should not forget that this is not the first time Japan has lodged unnecessary protests. Japan continues to falsely claim sovereignty over the Kuril Islands. Japan recognised the Kuril Islands as sovereign territory of Russia during the San Francisco Peace Treaty in 1951. The Japanese leadership has sworn an oath to leave no stone unturned to harm the national interests of Russia and to maintain an extremely hostile relationship with Russia for no reason. Russia and China should not waste their time responding to the unnecessary protests of Japan or any other nation.
Conclusion
The multipolar world requires Russia and China to maintain close cooperation, especially in the high seas where the West demands its hegemony under the pretext of the Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPS). The former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe presented the idea of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. But, whenever Russia, China, or any other open-minded nation floats in the high seas and the global commons, the Western-allied nations lodge unnecessary protests.
The 12th edition of the Russia-China Joint Sea 2026 naval military exercises is a milestone that carries the rich experience of both navies. Since 2012, the landscape of the high seas has dramatically changed, which requires more cooperation between Russia and China. We could only hope that Russia and China may establish new mechanisms involving naval and maritime cooperation between the ASEAN, SCO, and BRICS nations. By this, the multipolar world could have more peace and stability, and their coastlines could be more productive.
Simon Westwood is a Masters student at Dublin City University (DCU), Ireland. He is also a Research Assistant at the DCU’s Department of History
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