Rear Adm. Rick Wren, the commander of the Japan-based aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk's battle group, told The Associated Press July 5 that Washington wants China to become a stabilizing force in Asia, but that it has some reservations about Beijing's military expansion.
Wren, whose ships have just finished major joint military exercises with Australia, said multi-country alliances in the Asia-Pacific were "very important" to the United States.
Japan took part in the Talisman Saber exercises as an observer, and Wren said Japan would take a "much bigger" role in future exercises. He did not elaborate.
The two-week exercise included 10 U.S. ships, 20 Australian ships and 125 aircraft operating off Australia's northeastern coast.
Australia and Japan signed a security agreement in March that will enable Japanese forces to train alongside Australians for disaster relief and peacekeeping missions. (Source: International Herold Tribune, Jul 4, 2007).