Groundbreaking Chinese naval drill concludes

China's first open-sea drill in which maritime and air forces from all three of the country's fleets have taken part came to an end on Friday. Navy Commander Wu Shengli described the drill as a success, saying that it shows China's capability and resolution to safeguard national security and maritime interests, adding that the drill also examined naval organs' command and combat ability. Flotillas attached to the Beihai, Donghai and Nanhai Fleets started a confrontation drill in the West Pacific on Oct. 18, marking one of the largest such projects in terms of participating teams and the range of exercises in recent years. The 15-day drill honed open-sea combat and command competency, improving the navy's abilities, according to Wu, who added that similar exercises will be regularly carried out in the West Pacific in the future.