By Ankit Panda
China will participate in RIMPAC 2014, marking its first time participating in a major U.S.-led naval exercise.
For the first time ever, China’s PLA Navy will take part in the international RIMPAC naval exercise hosted by the U.S. Pacific Fleet. This year, RIMPAC is slated to take place between June 26 and August 1. The exercise will involve 47 surface ships, six submarines, over 200 aircraft, and 25,000 troops. China will send four ships. The exercise will be the world’s largest maritime exercise, involving 23 nations, and comes as tensions are high in the Asia-Pacific region over disputes in East and South China Seas. In addition to China, Brunei will be participating in the exercise for the first time as well.
The United States originally extended an invitation to the Chinese navy in 2012 when then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta visited China. Panetta invited China to participate in the exercise as a gesture that would increase military-to-military trust (which remains lacking today) between the United States and China. In June 2013, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi expressed China’s intent to accept the United States’ invitation to participate in the exercise.
Read the full story at The Diplomat