Chinese and US militaries hold joint disaster drills
Two nations express desire for closer ties after drills based on coping with emergencies
The Chinese and US militaries held joint disaster response exercises yesterday, as Beijing increases its global reach and Washington continues its "pivot" to the Pacific.
The joint drill, which saw officers from both nations express hopes for closer ties, came amid rising concerns in Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam over Beijing's territorial claims in disputed seas.
During the mock drills at a military base on the outskirts of Chengdu in Sichuan province, the two sides worked together on computer-generated disaster scenarios - in fictionalised countries.
"China and the US are separated by the Pacific Ocean. Our two militaries joining hands ... answers to the aspirations of the two sides," Major Tang Fen, of the People's Liberation Army, said after the two-day exercise.
"This plays a very important role in relations between our two nations and two militaries."
US Major General Stephen Lyons said: "If there is a country out there, and inevitably there will be, that will have a natural disaster, and they call for international help, if US forces and Chinese forces respond, then indeed we'll find ourselves working together in the field."
