ZHANJIANG, GUANGDONG PROVINCE, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) --The USS Juneau (LPD 10) on Saturday concluded its visit to Zhanjiang, a port city in South China's Guangdong Province, and headed out into the South China Sea for a search-and-rescue exercise with the Chinese navy on Sunday morning.

　　This was the third time the U.S. warship had visited Zhanjiang since the port was opened to foreign warships in 2003.

　　During the USS Juneau's four-day stay in Zhanjiang, the 650 crew members had a series of exchange programs with the Chinese navy officers, including basketball and football matches, and a tug of war.

　　Along with the USS Juneau, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet Gary Roughead also visited Zhangjiang. Roughead met with Gu Wengen, commander of the South China Sea fleet of the Navy of the People's Liberation Army. He also watched a demonstration of military skills by the Chinese Marine Corps.

　　During the USS Juneau's visit to Zhanjiang, three rounds of consultations were held to plan the forthcoming search-and-rescue exercise.

　　The exercise will involve China's guided missile destroyer " Zhanjiang," fuel tanker "Dongting Lake," the USS Juneau (LPD 10) and the USS missile destroyer Fitzgerald. A Chinese transport plane and a U.S. surveillance plane will also participate in the exercise.

　　"These exercises will help improve understanding and build mutual trust between the two militaries, particularly the two navies," said a statement issued by the Chinese Defense Ministry.

　　The event is the second phase of the first ever agreement on joint Sino-American search-and-rescue exercises.

　　The first phase in September consisted of communications and passing exercises held in the waters off Haiwaii.