{"id":27998,"date":"2018-01-25T15:16:32","date_gmt":"2018-01-25T15:16:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/01\/25\/china-consulting-with-us-on-participation-in-naval-drills\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:08:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:08:41","slug":"china-consulting-with-us-on-participation-in-naval-drills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2018\/01\/25\/china-consulting-with-us-on-participation-in-naval-drills\/","title":{"rendered":"China consulting with US on participation in naval drills"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BEIJING \u2014 China\u2019s Defense Ministry said Thursday it is consulting with the U.S. over again participating in large-scale multinational military exercises being held this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spokesman Wu Qian told reporters at a monthly briefing that China had already been formally invited to take part in the Rim of the Pacific drills hosted by the U.S. Navy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are now discussing details with the U.S. side on arrangements for China\u2019s participation,\u201d Wu said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

China has joined in the exercises twice before, despite frequently complaining about U.S. Navy activity in the South China Sea, which China claims as its territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. for its part routinely questions the objectives of China\u2019s massive military buildup and has criticized Beijing for carrying out extensive land reclamation work on many of the islands and reefs it claims, equipping some with air strips and military installations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Saturday, China accused the U.S. of trespassing in its territorial waters in the South China Sea after the guided missile destroyer USS Hopper sailed within 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) of Scarborough Shoal on Wednesday evening without China\u2019s permission.<\/p>\n\n\n\t