For the first time ever Chinese warships are taking part in the world’s largest naval drills: the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), biannual US-led training of Asia-Pacific regional navies traditionally conducted off the Hawaiian Islands since 1971.
RIMPAC will last for over a month, from June 26 to August 1.
The ongoing drill involves 47 surface ships, six submarines, over 200 aircraft, and 25,000 troops from 22 countries.
Originally, the invitation to take part in RIMPAC was sent by then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in 2012. China accepted the invitation in 2013, but due to legal restrictions the Chinese role in the drills is limited to relief operation training.
The official website of RIMPAC suggests that the Chinese task force participating in the drills is likely to be the second-largest there – after the US.
Beijing has sent four ships (missile destroyer Haikou, the missile frigate Yueyang, the supply ship Qiandaohu and the hospital ship Peace Ark) with two helicopters aboard, a commando and diving units – altogether 1,100 servicemen.
The Chinese and American navies cooperate on rare occasions and they invariably practice interaction in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Military relations between Beijing and Washington also involve exchanging military officers for academic studies.
Although the US is officially repositioning the majority of its navy to the Asia-Pacific by 2020, Washington is interested in transparency in military-to-military relations with Beijing.
An experience of real interaction between the US Navy and the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is a good insurance against possible misunderstandings between the two militaries in the future.
“It benefits both countries and helps communications. It’s a win-win situation,” a US defense official told Reuters.
“While China and the United States have a vast array of joint interests, certainly there do exist disagreements,” China’s Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun was quoted as saying, yet stressing that China’s participation in RIMPAC serves as an example that Beijing is interested in good military ties with the US, while certain politicians in Washington tend to exaggerate China’s military threat.
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