China has once again made another historic military milestone after the country's People's Liberation Army struck a deal that will launch a joint military exercise alongside various European Union military forces. The historic military exercise, a first of its kind, will involve the People's Liberation Army Navy and the European Union Naval Force.
The joint naval military exercise is slated to take place in the Gulf of Aden. While this is not the first time the People's Liberation Army Navy has interacted with the European Union Naval Force in that region, this latest exercise shows just how committed China is to the development of its military might.
The military exercise comes at a time when global superpowers are shifting to a different side of the world. Some military experts believe that this recent military exercise is China's strategy of broadening its naval influence not only in the Gulf of Aden but also in the Mediterranean region in general.
While this latest exercise is military in nature, some observers have noted that this might be part of China's bigger plan not only militarily but also economically. Some say that several Mediterranean ports are expected to play a crucial role in fulfilling China's flagship project, the Belt and Road Initiative. According to a report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, various Chinese state-owned enterprises control about 10 percent of Europe's overall port capacity.
Since January 2009, China and the EU's navy arms have launched naval ships and vessels in the region in order to counter the growing threat of piracy and also to protect vulnerable ships that pass through the coast of Somalia.
Many military analysts have considered the upcoming military exercise as a gesture of good faith. It also highlights China's commitment to the global effort of countering piracy and other illegal activities on international waters.
What is interesting about this latest military exercise is the fact that the European Union's naval force has been invited into the People's Liberation Army Navy resupply base. During the military exercise, an Italian helicopter landed within the boundaries of China's supply base which is located in Djibouti.
It is important to note that instances of western military forces being allowed to enter China's base in Djibouti are extremely rare. As such, many experts believe that such a gesture from China could mean that the country is slowly opening up to international coordination, especially on the military aspect.
