BEIJING, July 5 (Reuters) - The Chinese and Russian navies will ‌hold joint exercises in the ‌waters and airspace off the Chinese city ​of Qingdao next week, China's defence ministry and Russian state media said on Sunday.

"Following the exercises, some ‌of the ⁠forces from both sides will proceed to relevant areas ⁠of the Pacific Ocean to carry out joint maritime patrols," it ​said in a ​statement.

The drills ​are an annual ‌occurrence, "aimed at jointly addressing security challenges and maintaining regional peace and stability", it said.

Russian state-run RIA news agency said a cruiser, a corvette, ‌a diesel-electric submarine ​and a rescue ​vessel from ​Russia's Pacific Fleet had ‌arrived in Qingdao to ​participate in ​the drills, which would run from July 6 to 13.

(Reporting ​by Joe ‌Cash; Additional reporting by Maxim ​Rodionov; Editing by William Mallard ​and Joe Bavier)