By Shannon Tiezzi
The biennial meeting of naval officials from the Western Pacific approved a new communication agreement.
The biennial Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) closed today in the Chinese port city of Qingdao. In his closing speech, Admiral Wu Shengli, the commander of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), said that the event had met its goals of “broadening horizons, enhancing mutual understanding and deepening friendship.”
This year’s WNPS could also claim a more concrete success: the unanimous approval of a maritime communications agreement, the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES). Such a communications deal was proposed over 10 years ago. At the 2012 WPNS, held in Kuala Lumpur, China was the sole country to oppose CUES, citing dissatisfaction with the word “code” (implying legal force) in the title.
That objection has apparently been overcome, as Admiral Wu praised the “milestone document” as a means to develop better communication channels between navies. Other navy chiefs agreed. Admiral Harry Harris, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, called CUES “an important step forward to reduce tension on the sea in the region” and Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force chief Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano said he was “very happy” the code was approved.
Read the full story at The Diplomat