US-China Disaster Management Exchange 2019 kicks off in Hawaii

Source
China Military Online
Editor
Li Wei
Time
2019-11-19 19:34:37
Major General Yu Qifeng, Chief of Staff at the PLA 72nd Group Army, and Major General Mike Daniel, Deputy Commander of the USARPAC, attend the opening ceremony of US-China Disaster Management Exchange 2019 on November 18. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by Yin Hang, Tian Shuo, Li Shuaishuai and Hong Yuanyuan)
 

HAWAII, Nov. 19 (ChinaMil) -- The China-US Disaster Management Exchange (DME) 2019 kicked off in Big Island of Hawaii on November 18 local time, 2019. This exchange aims to share the experience of the two armed forces in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and improve their capacities to jointly carry out these works. More than 200 officers and soldiers from the ground forces under the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command and the US Army Pacific (USARPAC) participated in the event.

In the opening ceremony at the Kilauea military camp, Major General Yu Qifeng, Chief of Staff at the PLA 72nd Group Army, and Major General Mike Daniel, Deputy Commander of the USARPAC, delivered the opening speeches respectively after a video of the DME 2018, which was held in China’s Nanjing city.

Then, the professional equipment for rescue and disaster reduction was demonstrated, including dozens (set) of equipment for personal protection, detection, demolition, assistance and medical treatment. Personnel from the two militaries observed each other's operations and exchanged ideas.

On Monday afternoon, the troops jointly started table-top exchange and practical field training. As for the table-top exchange, the two sides send 25 people respectively to set up three agencies - a multi-national coordination center, a Chinese command post, and a US command post. They focus on the ways to promote international coordination and highlight the importance of a multinational coordination center as “a platform by which both armies can coordinate and synchronize support to a stricken area”. As to the practical field training, a total of 100 personnel from both sides train on subjects of personnel search and rescue, medical aid, toxic hazard detection, and resettlement of displaced civilians.

Earlier, the two militaries also held a two-day humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exchange seminar at the Kilauea military camp. More than 30 military and civilian experts and professionals from both sides participated in the event. They made in-depth, open and professional exchanges on the responses to a volcanic eruption scenario. During the seminar, both sides shared their own experiences and lessons, and put questions to each other, which enhanced mutual understanding and laid a solid foundation for joint exchanges.

Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities participated by the two militaries are a practical initiative to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state. This is conducive to enriching and broadening the exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries. Since 1997, the DME has continued to expand and deepen, adding positive factors to the development of relations between the two countries and two militaries.

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