Last week, Russian and Chinese submarines carried out their first joint patrol in the Pacific, marking a historic milestone in naval cooperation between two continental powers traditionally associated with land dominance or “Land Power” in classical geopolitical parlance.

This patrol came four weeks after Russia and China conducted their first full-scale joint naval exercise, Joint Sea-2025 (August 1–5). The submarine operation, which demonstrated coordinated surface and undersea maneuvers, spanned strategically sensitive waters in the Sea of Japan and East China Sea. Japan, the main American regional ally, shadowed the flotilla near its coast: these waters have long been flashpoints of regional rivalry — territorially, politically, and strategically.

One may recall that, back in March, the Security Belt 2025 exercise brought China, Russia, and Iran together in the strategic Indian Ocean, in the Gulf of Oman (near Chabahar Port directly adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz), along crucial energy corridors. These maneuvers were designed not only as military drills but also as political signals. As a matter of fact, when seen together — the March trilateral exercise, the August Joint Sea-2025 drills, and now the unprecedented joint submarine patrol — the pattern is unmistakable: China and Russia are steadily redefining the meaning of “sea power.”

According to (School of International Studies scholars) Ma Bo and Li Zishuit, the aforementioned Security Belt 2025 also illustrated Beijing’s strategic embrace of “minilateralism”, where limited, flexible........

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