China and Russia sign memorandum of understanding and cooperation in maritime law enforcement
© RIA Novosti. Pavel L'vov

China and Russia sign memorandum of understanding and cooperation in maritime law enforcement

The Chinese Coast Guard and the Russian Federal Security Service signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen maritime law enforcement cooperation.

The document provides for increased cooperation between the parties in combating terrorism, arms and drug smuggling, countering illegal migration, preventing illegal fishing of marine bioresources, as well as carrying out rescue operations at sea.

As part of the Russian FSB’s Border Guard Service chairmanship of the Arctic Coast Guard Forum (ACGF), exercises on countering threats to maritime security were held: Arctic Patrol 2023. Representatives of the Chinese Coast Guard attended as observers.

"The Russian Federation has demonstrated a commitment to fulfilling the obligations it assumed in the framework of its ACGF chairmanship and its readiness to independently counter the range of risks and threats in maritime activity in the Arctic zone," the Border Guard press service said.

Law enforcement and federal agencies in the exercise, practiced joint actions to search for and locate a vessel that had issued a distress alert, to stop a terrorist act and rescue the ship and the crew. They also practiced joint actions to clean up an emergency oil spill.