[Rooters] Despite tensions between the United States and China over the South China Sea, the two nations' militaries train together at a very high level. Current "mil-mil" engagements are robust, with China participating in the world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC 2014, which is hosted biannually by the U.S. Pacific Command. The drills allowed China to learn a great deal about U.S. tactics, techniques and procedures (in military shorthand, "TTPs").But even as the United States provided China with its highest-level access to military drills, the U.S. military leadership consistently ratcheted up the level of confrontation in the South China Sea. Most recently, a top U.S. Navy admiral participated in a surveillance flight in the region. The United States is at once inching closer to armed confrontation, while at the same time training Chinese forces in the American way of war.
RIMPAC is one of many occasions when U.S. forces have trained their Chinese counterparts. China has participated in U.S.-led counter-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean since 2008. Initially, due to language difficulties and unfamiliarity with American and allied forces tactics, techniques and procedures, China was given a separate area to patrol. But over the last seven years, cooperation has become closer, as the United States sought greater coordination of operations and closer relations with Chinese ships, by conducting combined exercises in 2013 and again in 2014. This increased interoperability allowed Chinese forces to learn counter-piracy tactics, techniques and procedures, especially those relating to how to support ships that are deployed far from land, for long periods of time. They also learned how to properly run visits and time off for their troops in foreign ports, and how to configure ships to be both efficient and comfortable for the seamen. From the U.S. Navy, the Chinese learned that allowing telephone contact with family at home enhanced -- rather than hurt -- troop morale and discipline. The Chinese were also able to study American methods for destroying chemical weapons, as they aided the U.S. Navy in destroying Syria's surrendered weapons.
China has upped the ante by deploying a nuclear submarine escort for its ships engaged in counter-piracy missions -- an added level of protection. To get live training, the United States will track any Chinese submarines as hostile, even in a cooperative environment. China knows this, and is able to use its participation in the international effort to explore the anti-submarine warfare tactics of the U.S. forces stationed on Diego Garcia Island, south of India, as well as those of U.S. and allied forces in the Gulf of Aden.
In other news: March 3, 1939 - Chinese Americans picket scrap metal shipments to Japan.