US admiral: Phl relief among China's 'productive' military moves

MANILA, Philippines - United States Pacific Command chief Admiral Samuel Locklear said that despite pressing sea disputes, China's military displays affirmative behavior even toward the Philippines, among its rival claimants.

"As I look globally at China, I think there are some positive aspects of how they're using their military forces in a productive way.  They participated in Operation Damayan in the Philippines.  They provided disaster relief," Locklear said in a press briefing late Thursday as transcribed by the US defense department.

Locklear was referring to China's humanitarian assistance after the deadly Super Typhoon Yolanda wrecked areas in the Visayas last November.

Beijing's aid consisted of pledges of P4.5 million in cash and P76 million worth of non-cash aid including the deployment of the Peace Ark, among the world's largest hospital ships.

Locklear said that China's People's Liberation Army has also been conducting joint training with its neighbors in the region and is even gearing to participate in the largest international maritime warfare exercise or the Rim of the Pacific.

"They're operating, I think, more frequently in multilateral exercises that are being done throughout the region, and as we've talked about, they're planning to come to RIMPAC, so that's still well on track," the commander said.

China is also an important security contributor in the Arabian region, particularly in the Gulf of Aden, Locklear said.

Locklear gave the bilateral relations between the US and China a "passing grade" even as observers believe the US' military shift to the Pacific as a move to contain the rising Asian giant.

"I would say that because we have been able to continue our mil-to-mil bylaws, our mil-to-mil relationships, our mil-to-mil exercises together, even though there has been churn in the region, particularly in the local region that's close to China," Locklear said.

The ranking official reiterated the US' neutral stand on the maritime row particularly in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, admitting that Beijing has not been displaying qualities of a regional leader.

"Ultimately, China needs to be a regional leader. Their military needs to be a regional leader.  It needs to coexist in that part of the world with our allies and with our militaries, and we need to work together for the mutual security," he said.

Locklear also believes China has to improve its reputation and relationship with smaller countries.

"I think they have to think carefully about, you know, the introduction of things like (Air Defense Identification Zones), like they did in the past, and how they go forward with that in the future, and to be open and have a dialogue with people before they do it," he said.

The US, meanwhile, provided the massive humanitarian assistance to the Philippines, deploying about 1,000 troops to the disaster areas since November.