Chinese navy to participate in seven programs during RIMPAC exercise

The world's largest joint military exercise at sea, the 2014 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Naval exercise, will kick off in Hawaii on Thursday. It is the first time that China will have participated in the exercise. The Chinese forces include missile destroyer Haikou, missile frigate Yueyang, supply ship Qiandaohu, hospital ship Peace Ark, two helicopters, a commando unit and a diving squad, totaling 1,100 officers and soldiers. Its complement is second only to that of the host, the United States. Japan, Australia and 22 other countries will take part in the exercise.

In accordance with the consensus reached by national leaders from both China and the US, the Chinese navy will take part in seven programs, including artillery practice, sea security operations, and military medical exchanges. This shows that the US has the will to improve bilateral military ties. According to unwritten rules generally applied in practice, a country does nto normally join in the actual programs during its first participation in the exercise, and major security missions are carried out by the US and its principal allies, said Zhang Junshe, a researcher at the People's Liberation Army Naval Military Studies Research Institute.

Analysts believe the US aim is to build an Asia-Pacific version of "NATO" on the basis of the traditional alliance, and ultimately dominate Asia-Pacific security affairs, while Japan, Korea, Australia and other countries want to further strengthen relations with the United States to improve their military capabilities. The goals for Canada, the United Kingdom, Norway and other peripheral participating countries are to increase foreign participation in Asia-Pacific affairs as well as gain experience and develop skills.

China's presence at the exercise will have a positive effect on relations between China and the US, strengthen their friendly cooperation, and help to safeguard regional peace and stability. It is also a great opportunity to broaden exchanges and pragmatic cooperation between China and other countries, and lay a good foundation for safeguarding maritime security in the future.

RIMPAC, which started in 1971, is the world's largest multinational maritime military exercise. It forms a complete set of medium-scale "sea intervention maneuvers".