Transcript
The U.S. has meticulously planned this military exercise and it's the 26th one since it first began back in 1971. There are at least 25 nations are involved in the Rim of the Pacific or RIMPAC that is now underway in Hawaii and southern California. There are at least 47 ships, 5 submarines, 18 national land forces and more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel. Maritime force capabilities are on show with activities like maritime security and disaster relief. Tonga is the only small island state taking part this year. The director of the Pasifika Centre at Massey University, Malakai Koloamatangi says he is suprised more aren't taking part.
"Tonga's foreign policy of course is that it wants to be a friend of everyone and enemy of none and Tonga's military has been quite behaving of itself in the sense that it doesn't get involved in politics say like perhaps the Fiji military forces so I suppose this is a way of maybe rewarding Tonga."
RIMPAC leader, senior US commander, Vice Admiral John Alexander, says RIMPAC's aim is to build international collaboration, ensure safety and protect trade.
"Because most of our prosperity comes through the trade which goes over the sea and so our ability to work together and solve problems that way and if disaster or crisis occurs for us to quickly group together for humanitarian assistance, disaster relief or combat piracy, this gives us an opportunity to build those friendships, those relationships and build on them over time."
He explains why China weren't attending.
"They were invited and they have been participants in all the planning up until this point but the militarization of the South China Sea is inconsistent with the principals and purposes of RIMPAC. RIMPAC is about inclusivity. It's about following international rules and norms and so the civilian senior leadership felt that militarization is against the principals of RIMPAC and so they were disinvited."
Malakai Koloamatangi says the decision to uninvite China is disappointing, given Tonga's close ties with Beijing. However he says the exercise is a chance for the US to show its influence.
"It is clear the US is the main player here, good that the US can flex its muscles a bit and if it came down to show brut force, it could do it by themselves but then it is important for the US to show credibility when dealing with these other forces."
The New Zealand Defence Force has a warship, three aircraft, and more than 300 personnel participating. Australia, the UK, France, India, Indonesia, and Japan are among those present, along with first-timers Israel, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. While Malaysia and the Phillipines have sent ships for the first time. The US is hoping up to 30 nations will take part next year.
RIMPAC runs until August 2.
