China's debut in the world's largest naval exercise is a "leap of trust" as it teams with the United States and US allies at a time of heightened regional tension over territorial disputes, a leading Australian Asia expert said on Friday.
Michael Wesley, professor of National Security at the Australian National University, told the ABC that China's inclusion in RIMPAC 2014 is highly significant.
"It's important to include China in these sorts of coalition exercises in order to offset what is probably a growing belief in China that it is being encircled by tightening alliances and partnerships among its neighbors, and the United States.
"I think that it's also a reasonable leap of trust by the Chinese that they will take part in these US-led exercises that will be heavily participated in by US allies as well."
Read the full story at Want China Times