Despite tensions over the South China Sea, Chinese and US sailors practice attacks on enemies

A Chinese fleet joined the naval force from the United States as scheduled in the west Pacific Ocean on Saturday en route to Hawaii for the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) multinational naval exercise.

The Chinese fleet, departed from a military port in Zhoushan City in east China's Zhejiang Province on Wednesday, comprises missile destroyer Xi'an, missile frigate Hengshui, supply ship Gaoyouhu, hospital ship Peace Ark, submarine rescue vessel Changdao, three helicopters, a marine squad and a diving squad, involving 1,200 officers and soldiers.

During the voyage of over 840 nautical miles, the Chinese fleet conducted its own drills in artillery firing, helicopter taking off and landing, and dinghy hoisting and lowering down.

The Chinese fleet arrived at the designated waters in the west Pacific Ocean at around 14:00. Joining the Chinese fleet were destroyer escort USS Stockdale and guided missile armed destroyer USS Lawrence from the United States.

The Chinese representatives held a coordination meeting on the USS Stockdale soon after the rendezvous, and then continued the sailing towards Hawaii as a joint fleet at 17:00.

"According to the coordination meeting, the Chinese and the U.S. warships will hold a series of joint drills in communication, simple tactical maneuvers, formation on alert, replenishment at sea, emergency disposal and artillery firing in the following days," said Chen Denan, chief of staff of the Chinese fleet.

The joint fleet of seven warships is scheduled to arrive at Pearl Harbor on June 29.

Started in 1971 and held every two years, the U.S.-led RIMPAC is the world's largest multinational maritime military exercise. The Chinese Navy participated in the RIMPAC exercises for the first time in 2014.