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 Although only a drill, it represented a glimpse of cooperation and
integration among non-Chinese amphibious forces in Asia that the
United States is belatedly encouraging.
A senior U.S. official told Reuters the-first-of-its-kind gathering
also signifies a nudge towards containing China, as Beijing grows
increasingly assertive in pushing its territorial claims in the
South China Sea.
The shift has left supporters of engagement with China "under
pressure", said the source, who declined to be identified because he
was not authorized to speak to the media.
Early on Tuesday, the foreign amphibious commanders participating in
the PACOM Amphibious Leaders Symposium (PALS), boarded Osprey tilt
rotor aircraft at Hickam air base, near Honolulu, for a 20-minute
ride over the tropical seas around Oahu to the amphibious assault
ship USS Essex and other vessels for a demonstration of American
marine muscle.
"I don't think China can match the complexity," said Martin
Sebastian, head of the Maritime Institute of Malaysia, in the hangar
deck after a tour of the 40,000 ton, 266-meter Essex.
 A U.S. spokesman said China was not invited to the meeting because
doing so would have contravened a law prohibiting
military-to-military exchanges with China at such events.
China joined in U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval exercises
last year with more than 20 countries, but was limited to things
like humanitarian relief and search and rescue operations.
Tuesday's exercise had only a military objective; to land a marine
units on a beach by boat and helicopter and destroy the fictitious
training camp of an insurgent group.
MARITIME TENSIONS
The drill, involving Ospreys, Harrier jump jet aircraft, armored
vehicles, B-52 bombers and hovercraft, follows a two-day visit to
China by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that was dominated by
concerns about Beijing's territorial ambitions.
Recent Chinese reclamation work has stoked tensions in the South
China Sea, where Beijing is building man-made islands around seven
reefs in the Spratly archipelago that are also claimed by the
Philippines and Vietnam.
With a force of around 12,000 marines that it can rapidly expand in
times of conflict, China, say military experts, represents a
formidable potential foe.
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The United States maintains a presence of some 80,000 troops, almost
half its strength, in Asia, most on Japan's Okinawa island at the
edge of the East China Sea.
Better integrating the amphibious operations of non-Chinese forces
in the Asia-Pacific represents an arduous challenge. Capabilities
vary from country to country, gear, including communications, is not
interoperable and funding is scarce.
"Capabilities haven't developed as quickly or as fully as they
might," said Grant Newsham, a former Marine liaison officer to
Japan's Ground Self Defense Force, who attended the meeting.
"The Symposium will hopefully coalesce these ongoing but somewhat
disjointed efforts towards amphibious capability."
Inter-regional rivalries are another hurdle to cooperation.
For example, one participant, who asked not to be identified, said
cooperation between Japan and South Korea, which has about 25,000
marines, was impossible because Seoul might one day have to defend
territory also claimed by Tokyo.
For some checking out the U.S. military hardware, America's
enthusiasm to forge more capable amphibious forces in the region
could provide a more immediate benefit by helping prepare for
natural disasters such as super typhoon Haiyan, which killed more
than 6,000 people in the Philippines 2013.
"It will help enhance the capability we should have," said
Alexander Lopez, a Philippine vice admiral. The U.S. "is a big
brother for the region".
(Reporting by Tim Kelly; Editing by Alex Richardson)
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