MANADO, Indonesia - No country is capable of coping with major natural disasters alone, which is why 21 nations gathered in Indonesia recently to improve their ability to cooperate in disaster relief operations.

Coming several days after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the ASEAN Regional Forum Disaster Relief Exercises took place in Manado, capital of Indonesia's North Sulawesi province, from March 15 to 19.

Plans to host the event were announced on July 23, 2010 by the foreign ministers of Indonesia and Japan as co-hosts of the exercises, which were attended by around 3,000 observers and participants.

Simulating a magnitude-7.5 earthquake and a subsequent tsunami off the coast of Manado, the exercises were aimed to improve the professionalism of all participants in disaster relief operations and enhance coordination.

China sent a 15-member medical team and nine military officers to the exercises, which involved field training, tabletop exercises and medical aid.

"The key in disaster relief is to be fast," said Senior Colonel Lu Chuangang, head of the Chinese delegation and deputy-director of the emergency-response department of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army.

According to Lu, relevant Chinese government officials, military officers and soldiers can be informed 15 minutes after an earthquake occurs, and immediately start preparing their response.

"The ideal time for earthquake rescue is only the first 72 hours. Only with the combined efforts of professional forces in the whole region can the best rescue result be achieved," Lu said.

Japan's Self-Defense Force, which was supposed to take part in the exercises with 300 personnel, was mobilized to cope with the disaster in Japan, which was hit by a magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami four days before the exercises.

Japanese Vice-Foreign Minister Makiko Kikuta said it was a very difficult decision for her to leave her nation following the disaster.

However, she said that she attended the exercises "with the determination to fulfill the responsibility as the co-hosting country, and to convey to you the appreciation shared by all Japanese people".

The latest natural disasters in Japan underscore the importance of regional cooperation in disaster relief management, Indonesian Vice-President Boediono said at the opening ceremony.

"We have to develop and maintain certain levels of readiness with regard to a quick response capability for disaster relief forces," said Boediono.

This "can only be attained through continuous exercises and training, and an examination of standard operating procedures.

"In addition, disaster relief often has an international dimension, and is thus tied to immigration, customs, quarantine and security issues," Boediono said.

Lieutenant-Colonel Keith Moody from Canada suggested there should be further joint exercises and meetings for high-level discussions aimed at achieving effective cooperation.

He said this was important to "solve problems like how we get permission for the Chinese military to come to Indonesia in a disaster, and the problem we have with crossing the border.

"We should make that a quick process so that people don't suffer too long.

"We should work together, because, as with what happened in Japan, no country is big enough to deal with all the problems by itself," Moody added.