China to join Thai-US military exercises for first time

The joint US-Thailand annual military exercise, Cobra Gold 2014, has launched in Thailand, and for the first time ever, 17 Chinese soldiers will participate in the drill.

Cobra Gold is the largest Asia-Pacific military exercise, held in Thailand every year since 1982. This year's drill will last 13 days, during which the Chinese soldiers will participate in the delivery of humanitarian aid, including coordination, project aid, medical aid and military medical exchanges.

The drill involves about 4,000 Thai solders and 9,000 US soldiers. Troops from Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Malaysia will also join the drill. Eleven other countries will send military officers to observe the exercises.