Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Naval sailor aboard the Hengshui hoists the Chinese Flag after arriving at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam to participate in the multi-national military exercise RIMPAC in Honolulu, Hawaii on June 29. REUTERS

Taskforce 153, China’s PLA Navy fleet attending the RIMPAC 2016 multilateral naval exercises, arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on June 29. It is the second time China has participated in the RIMPAC folllowing its debut in 2014.

The Chinese fleet is made up of five ships: the missile destroyer Xi’an; missile frigate Hengshui; supply ship Gaoyouhu; hospital ship Peace Ark; submarine rescue vessel Changdao; and three helicopters, a marine squad and a diving squad, including 1,200 officers and soldiers. The crew size is smaller only than those of the US and Canada.

A total of 26 nations, 45 ships, five submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC 2016 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.

On June 24, the Chinese Navy’s destroyer Xi’an, a participant in the RIMPAC 2016, held a ceremony on crossing the International Date Line. The ceremony marked entering the Western Hemisphere from the Eastern one. Xinhua