United States trying to make friends against China with a massive naval exercise

The Pentagon launched the world's largest naval war games last week, the biennial cycle of the Pacific exercises, known as RIMPAC, bringing together 46 ships and submarines, 200 aircraft and 25,000 soldiers of 25 nations

China, which has been disowned by RIMPAC for its militarization of the islands of the South China Sea, is missing.

But as the ships arrived in Hawaii for RIMPAC, China was completing its own naval exercises, with a series of military maneuvers off Taiwan starting June 17th.

Th Over the course of the two sets of exercises, the overlap only reinforces the differences between the two superpowers, as both countries vie for military influence in the Pacific.

RIMPAC Talks about "Building Relationships" Hawaii on Thursday, noting that Indo-Pacific nations were making new or improved contributions to exercises, including Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines, all of which have claims in the sea of Southern China.

"We are working together, building relationships here," said Vice Admiral John Alexander, commander of the US Navy's 3rd Fleet, at the Pearl Harbor meeting marking the start of the games. 19659004] And RIMPAC shows that the US Navy is According to analysts, better to make friends than its Chinese counterpart

"The absence of China means that it loses an opportunity to" 39 Establishing Professional and Potentially Personal Relationships with Its According to Carl Schuster, a former operations director of US Pacific Command's Joint Intelligence Center

Beijing does not organize naval exercises on the scope of RIMPAC, said Schuster

. Peter Layton, visiting scientist at the Griffith Asia Institute in Australia, said the US Navy knows how to showcase its capabilities and those of its partners. Among the planned RIMPAC missions are new missile demonstrations, amphibious exercises, demining and anti-piracy operations, according to the US Navy.

Expect everything to be well publicized with tweets, photos and videos. RIMPAC on Facebook

"It highlights in the graphic detail media for a month that the Marines want to exercise with the US Navy," said Layton.

And the presence of the countries of the South China Sea at RIMPAC shows loyalty in the reg Washington has regularly sent warships inside the borders declared by China around the disputed islands, but those called "freedom of navigation" have not been reached. RIMPAC gives the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) a chance to show "passive support" to the US position, Layton said.

The 10 nations of ASEAN include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. "ASEAN states may not be ready to sail with the US Navy through disputed waters, but they are eager to exercise with the US Navy and demonstrate solidarity that way, "said Layton.

"Vietnam for the first time at this year's fiscal year is significant in this respect.The Philippines' participation also indicates that they wish to cover their bets and remind China that they have other options. "

Broad Coalition

Outside of Southeast Asia, the United States gives important roles to other allies. and the Japanese admirals will be in global command positions Nos. 2 and 3 and the Australian and Chilean commanders will be the maritime and air components respectively.

"The confidence built in RIMPAC will pay off when we together respond to the crises that may arise. Admiral John Aquilino, commander of the US Pacific Fleet, told Pearl Harbor on Thursday

that China has sent a flotilla of warships for a week of "combat training" around Taiwan, part of its territory, but has been a self-governing democratic island since 1949 following a civil war on the Chinese mainland.

Beijing said that the combat exercises were "directed against separatist elements advocating" Taiwan The Chinese army stated that two warships of the Eastern Theater Command led the exercises – with additional units of the air and coastal defense forces – in the Taitung Strait, Bashi Strait and Taiwan Strait, according to Xinhua

Emphasizing that the exercises were conducted by the Easte Theater Command, formed during a Chinese military reorganization in 2016, was important, according to Schuster, the former US Navy officer now Hawaii. Professor of the Pacific University

"This means that the PLA Navy and Joint Command Structure are improving, are more capable and want Taiwan and the United States to know it. ", he said. James Mattis, who launched the invitation of RIMPAC in early June, visited leaders in Beijing

including President Xi Jinping, who made known his position on the case of the South China Sea. "Our position is firm and unequivocal with respect to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China," said Xi, adding that "any territory inherited from the ancestors can not be lost until we want anything others. "

Alternative alliances

Beijing shows no desire for RIMPAC either. On Thursday, the Ministry of Defense announced plans for naval exercises with the 10 ASEAN countries later this year, aimed at "strengthening mutual trust, developing exchanges and cooperation, and safeguarding peace and security. regional stability ". Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has met with leaders of NATO and the European Union, as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin, for the month of RIMPAC. "Donald Trump is widely believed to insult Europeans and Canadians, and actively attempt to harm NATO and the EU, while praising Putin for Syria and Ukraine," said the Australian analyst

. Some EU countries and perhaps others may wonder why they support an American exercise in the Pacific, "said Layton." Trump's attacking allies and friends will defeat for all participants some aspects of soft power of RIMPAC. "

By Brad Lendon, CNN