Chinese, Russian, and South African Troops to Engage in Naval Exercise

On Friday, China’s Ministry of Defense announced that Chinese forces will take part in a naval exercise titled “Will for Peace 2026,” set to occur off South Africa’s coast alongside Russian and South African military personnel.

The Chinese government presents these naval activities as part of “BRICS” events, even though most members of that coalition will not be involved. BRICS, led by China, positions itself as an anti-American economic and diplomatic collective originally formed with Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Over time, it has included additional countries like Iran, Egypt, and the UAE, as well as several nations often viewed as anti-American. According to the Chinese Defense Ministry, the upcoming exercise will not involve countries beyond Russia, China, and South Africa.

The upcoming military drills follow a particularly challenging year for BRICS nations, especially after the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who repeatedly threatened tariffs if they obstructed U.S. dollar use in trade. In May 2025, he even embarrassed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during a meeting in the Oval Office.

Notably, the announcement about the naval exercise came shortly after the United States seized a Russian-flagged tanker suspected of illegal oil dealings with Venezuela.

China’s Ministry of Defense revealed that “Will for Peace” is scheduled for January and will take place at the Simon’s Town port in South Africa.

The exercise’s theme is “Joint action to ensure the security of key shipping routes and maritime economic activities.” Participants will engage in counter-terrorism drills, rescue operations, and anti-maritime attack strategies. Exchanges among experts and tours are also planned, according to the Defense Ministry. They stated that this exercise aims to deepen military collaboration among the participating countries and enhance their collective response to maritime threats.

Moreover, China’s state-run outlet, Global Times, mentioned that these exercises are the first to be officially recognized as BRICS operations, extending the group’s aims beyond mere economic partnerships to military collaborations. While noting that Russia, China, and South Africa have previously conducted joint exercises, this latest one is deemed unique, although the report does not disclose the identities of any other participating nations.

An “expert” acknowledged by the Chinese government claimed that “Will for Peace 2026” stands out as the first multilateral exercise under the BRICS framework, highlighting the alliance’s commitment to enhancing maritime cooperation, which is crucial for international maritime security and global peace.

Interestingly, BRICS countries had been relatively silent regarding “maritime cooperation” during much of 2024, coinciding with operations by Iranian-supported Yemeni militants that aimed to disrupt global trade through the Mediterranean. These militants targeted vessels believed to be trading with Israel, but ended up attacking various commercial ships, some associated with BRICS nations like Russia and Iran.

The exercise was initially called “Moshi III” in 2024 but had been postponed due to rising tensions with the United States. A South African defense journalist observed that, while China will lead this latest endeavor, crucial allies like India and Brazil will not be participating, despite its BRICS branding.

This exercise has sparked controversy in South Africa, with the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) criticizing it as geopolitically delicate from the outset.

In a statement, the DA noted, “MOSI III was postponed due to political and diplomatic sensitivities ahead of the G20 summit. Those sensitivities remain. Referring to this exercise as ‘Will for Peace’ doesn’t alter reality, especially considering China is conducting sizeable military exercises preparing for a potential invasion of Taiwan. Using ‘peace’ in this context feels misleading.”

They went on to argue, “Accepting and training such forces cannot be deemed neutral or non-aligned. It’s a political stance, regardless of government acknowledgment.” Further, they highlighted that while the government claims neutrality, collaborations with democratic allies are eroding, mentioning canceled joint exercises with the U.S. and lost trust.

The shift for BRICS has moved from economic and diplomatic cooperation to military action, particularly after a tough year. In 2025, during Brazil’s hosting of the annual BRICS summit, many core objectives, including a common currency to rival the U.S. dollar, seemed abandoned. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attended the event, but neither Xi Jinping nor Vladimir Putin were present, with Putin lamenting the decline of the liberal globalization model in a somber virtual address.

“It’s believed that developing an independent payments and currency system within BRICS could facilitate quicker currency transactions while enhancing security,” he proposed, though he stood alone in challenging the dollar during the summit.

In September, Xi Jinping led an urgent BRICS summit to redirect focus toward diminishing U.S. influence globally, signaling that the official summit in Brazil may have faltered.