VLADIVOSTOK, October 25. /TASS/. A group of ships from Russia’s Pacific Fleet has concluded its visit to the Chinese port of Qingdao on Thursday, Fleet Spokesman Captain 2nd rank Nikolai Voskresensky told reporters, adding that upon leaving the port, the Russian vessels had taken part in joint drills in the Yellow Sea together with Chinese warships.

"Today, a group of ships from Russia’s Pacific Fleet, consisting of the Varyag missile cruiser, the Admiral Panteleyev anti-submarine destroyer and the Boris Butoma large sea tanker, concluded its visit to the port of Qingdao, China," he said. "Upon leaving Qingdao, the Pacific Fleet ships and the Chinese Navy carried out joint drills in the Yellow Sea to practice tactical maneuvering and setting up communication channels," Voskresensky added.

The group’s commander Rear Admiral Eduard Mikhailov and the ships’ captains paid visits to the commander of China’s North Sea Fleet and Qingdao authorities during the group’s stay in the port. The two countries’ navy servicemen visited each other’s ships and shared experience gained during damage control drills, exercises aimed at training skills to deal with the aftermath of radiation, chemical and biological contamination, as well as during search and rescue missions. Besides, Russian and Chinese navy servicemen also held basketball friendlies and a tug-of-war competition.

The Pacific Fleet ships embarked on a three-month journey from Russia’s Far Eastern port of Vladivostok. The Group has already conducted several drills at sea and visited Japanese and South Korean ports.