China navy is RIMPAC 'highlight'(2)

"Everyone standing here with me today recognizes how valuable a cooperative approach can be to sharing the workload and leveraging unique national capabilities," Harris said at the RIMPAC opening press conference in Pearl Harbor on Monday.

"We can all appreciate that conflict and crisis are bad for business. I think it's important to note that by simply attending RIMPAC, every nation here is making the bold statement that we must improve multinational military cooperation despite disagreements," he said.

"We can agree to disagree without being disagreeable," he said.

Douglas Paal, vice-president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, said he was glad China was sending ships to RIMPAC while other activities in the relationship were taking place.

Paal appeared to be referring to the indictment by US Justice Department of five PLA officers for the cybertheft of US corporate secrets, a move he interpreted as "non-strategic". China used to suspend its military exchanges with the US upon major disagreements, such as over US arms sales to Taiwan.

"If we can keep those two engaged, and they don't break off and get angry with each other, that will help," Paal said.

He believes this is especially important when commanders have each other's cellphone numbers and can call in the middle of a sudden crisis, such as ships running into each other or similar incidents.

The growing number of close encounters between the PLA navy and US Navy at sea has caused concern about possible accidents due to misunderstandings or miscalculation.

Colleen Hanabusa, a US congresswoman from Hawaii, said there is no question that China is a major player in the Asia Pacific Rim.

"I think China participating in RIMPAC and the role that China continues to play (in the region) is important," Hanabusa said.

"We are not going into military action. China is not going into military action. So we are in a better position that we all realize that the world is large enough for the great powers. And great powers must lead by example."

In Beijing on July 9-10, China and the US will embark on the 6th meeting of the China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, as US President Barack Obama's special representatives, will travel to Beijing for the S&ED. They will be joined by their respective Chinese co-chairs, State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Vice-Premier Wang Yang, along with high-level delegations from both sides.

The dialogue will focus on addressing the challenges and opportunities that both countries face on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global areas of immediate and long-term economic and strategic interest, according to a statement by the US Department of State.

In Beijing, Kerry will also participate in the 5th annual China-US Consultation on People-to-People Exchange on July 9-10 in coordination with Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Yandong.

In a meeting with US Ambassador to China Max Baucus in Beijing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said building a new type of major country relationship conforms to the fundamental and long-term interest of the two nations.

"It is also the expectation of the international community," Wang said.