Photo: Just a peek: Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie is saluted Monday before boarding the Aegis destroyer Chokai in Sasebo, Nagasaki PrefectureJapan And China At Sea Together -- Strategy Page
December 9, 2009: Japan and China have agreed to conduct joint naval exercises. This will be a first for the two nations. The operation will involve joint search and rescue exercises. It is hoped that this will lead to more joint exercises, concentrating on humanitarian operations.
Japan is currently the second largest naval power in the Pacific (after the United States), with a total of 32 destroyers, nine guided-missile destroyers, and nine frigates. The older Tachikaze-class guided-missile destroyers are being replaced by the new Atago-class destroyers. Japan also has 16 modern diesel-electric submarines.
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Update #1: China gets rare ship tour: Japan shows off Aegis-equipped destroyer at Sasebo -- Stars And Stripes
Update #2: China defense chief gets Aegis peak -- Japan Times
My Comment: They still have a long way to go before forming a military alliance, but I am still surprised to see this level of military cooperation between the two countries .... in fact .... I thought that this would never happen in my life time.
Hmmmm .... the times are obviously a changing.