Iran, Russia and China navy drills to start: report

The ministry added that the drills will incorporate training courses including maritime target strike, VBSS (visit, board, search, and seizure), damage control and joint search and rescue operations.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) will send the destroyer Baotou and the resupply ship Gaoyouhu to participate, the ministry reported.

These annual exercises were also held in the Gulf of Oman on similar dates last year, and included the participation of Chinese forces from the guided missile destroyer Urumqi, the missile frigate Linyi and the supply ship Dongpinghu.

Last year's edition coincided with fighting by the Houthi rebels in Yemen against US and British warships in the Red Sea to "protect" navigation in the strategic route, through which it's estimated that around 15 per cent of the world's maritime trade passes.

with EFE