Chinese and Russian fleets set sail from a naval port in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, on July 15 for a three-day maritime exercise.

As a key part of an ongoing China-Russia joint exercise, the drill will include subjects such as anchorage defense, joint reconnaissance and early warning, joint search and rescue, and joint air defense and missile defense, according to a military source.

Live weapon firing will be conducted to test the results of previous discussions and exchanges during the planning phase, the source said.

Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, announced on Friday that Chinese and Russian armed forces started "Exercise Joint Sea-2024" in the waters and airspace near Zhanjiang. The exercise is scheduled to last until around mid-July.