Sound The Trumpet : PLA Sends Multiple Signals in First Rimpac Naval Exercise

Must Listen

Must Read

What Art Thinks

Pre-Millennialism

Today's Headlines

Sorry... Not Available

Locally Contributed...

Audio

Video

Special Interest

Daily News

22177

“PLA Sends Multiple Signals in First Rimpac Naval Exercise”
by Want China Times
June 11th, 2014

PLA sailors aboard the destroyer Haikou leave Sanya on June 9 bound for RIMPAC 2014. (Photo/Xinhua)

China is sending out multiple signals in its first ever participation in the US-led Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval exercises over the summer, reports Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao.

On Monday, China's defense ministry said four ships from the People's Liberation Army Navy — the destroyer Haikou, missile frigate Yueyang, the oiler Yueyang and hospital ship Peace Ark — departed Monday with two helicopters, a commando unit and a diving squad in a deployment totaling 1,100 officers and sailors.

The US-led RIMPAC is the largest international maritime exercise in the world and has been held biennially since 1971. China has sent officials to observe the exercises since 1998, but this marks the first time the PLA is an official participant.

China's first participation in RIMPAC comes at a time when it is engaged in territorial disputes with Japan in the East China Sea and Vietnam and the Philippines in the South China Sea. All three of the countries involved in the disputes with China are said to have the backing of the United States, Ta Kung Pao said, adding that China's acceptance of the invitation is a reflection of Beijing's confidence.

The Chinese fleet will be the largest after that of the US in this year's drills, which will feature a total of 23 countries including Australia, Canada, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea and Britain. The Chinese fleet will not engage in any drills with the Japanese fleet, though Katsutoshi Kawano, chief of staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, welcomed China's participation.

The PLA fleet will join naval forces from Singapore, Brunei and the United States in waters off Guam and then sail to Hawaii for the start of RIMPAC in late June. During the exercises, the PLA Navy will conduct light weapons and artillery fire, integrated exercises, maritime security operations, surface ships drills, military medical exchanges, and other forms of bilateral and multilateral military and cultural activities.

At the sendoff at Sanya in southern China's Hainan province, Xu Hongmeng, a deputy commander of the PLA Navy, said the mission was an important part of the efforts to build a new model of relations between China and the US, as well as their militaries.

After the drills conclude in August, Haikou, Yueyang and Qiandaohu will sail to San Diego in the US for visits, while Peace Ark will sail to Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea for a medical service mission.

Chinese military scholar Song Zhongping said the location of RIMPAC 2014 is foreign to China and will be a great opportunity to test the abilities of the country's warships and naval officers. Further, Song added that the drills will allow the PLA Navy to learn from the training methods of the US and other leading navies around the world to improve its own capabilities.

In response to concerns from Chinese internet users that the US may use the exercise as an excuse to collect data on the communications, radar and weapons of Chinese warships, Song said both China and the US will keep key intelligence from each other. On the whole, the RIMPAC invitation the US extended to China is a demonstration of military transparency and China sending its advanced warships to participate is a way of returning that goodwill, Song added.

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13