PLA Daily: Top 10 military exercises of world in 2012(3)

C. Joint military exercise among naval forces of U.S., Japan and South Korea

Exercise time: June 21 and 22

Participating countries: the U.S., Japan and South Korea

Exercise location: southern waters of the Korean Peninsula

Exercise contents: maritime search and rescue, maritime interception, and visits, etc.

Concern index: ★★★★☆

Reason for concern: the first joint military exercise among the U.S., Japan and South Korea

Military strength committed: the U.S.' George Washington aircraft carrier, Japan's "Kirisame" and "Shirane" destroyers and South Korea's destroyers, logistics support ship and anti-submarine helicopters, etc.

Expert's comments: in East Asia, the U.S. has long developed its alliance with South Korea and Japan and tried to from a trilateral military alliance. Although the coordination mechanism of the exercise did not operate smoothly enough and failed to achieve the desired effect, the first joint military exercise among the three countries will exert a far-reaching impact on the regional situation. (By Li Xiang, with the Department of World Military Studies under the AMS of the PLA)