The Maritime Self-Defense Force will send its Suzutsuki destroyer to China to attend international fleet reviews in Qingdao on April 23, the Defense Ministry has announced. This will be the first time for an MSDF destroyer to be sent to China since December 2011, a gap of about 7-1/2 years.
At a Japan-China summit meeting in October last year, both governments agreed to discuss a plan to exchange visits by their ships, and defense authorities in the two countries have coordinated the schedule.
MSDF Chief of Staff Hiroshi Yamamura will visit China on April 22-25 for the fleet reviews. It will be the first time in about five years, since April 2015, for an MSDF chief of staff to visit China.
Japan's defense ministry said it would promote dialogue and exchanges with its Chinese counterpart, and work to foster mutual understanding and trust.
The fleet reviews are part of a celebratory event for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Navy. The United States is not planning to dispatch warships, as the event is a venue for China to display its naval power.
China did not invite MSDF vessels to the review it was planning for April 2014 and ultimately canceled the event.
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