OREANDA-NEWS  Joint patrolling of ships of the Russian Navy and the Chinese Navy in the Pacific Ocean does not pose a threat to the United States, Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder said.

"NORAD (Joint Aerospace Defense Command of North America - IF) and NORTHCOM (Northern Command of the US Armed Forces - IF) monitored their presence. They were in international waters. At no point in time did they, according to estimates, pose a threat," Ryder said during a briefing.

He noted that Russia and China are free to conduct exercises in international airspace and international waters.

"I think it's not surprising to anyone that China and Russia continue to look for ways to cooperate, and we will continue to monitor this situation and act accordingly," the US Defense Official added.

The tasks were fulfilled within the framework of the third joint maritime patrol in the Pacific Ocean by the sailors of the two countries, the press service of the Pacific Fleet reported.