.

So those idiots don't accidentally sink a ship.

Do you want an official answer or just trying to start a conversation? Just curious.

.

Probably so if anything happens internationally and N. Korea does something stupid China will not be able to back N Korea.

.

Information/intelligence gathering?  Works both ways, though.

www.staradvertiser.com/s?action=login&f=y&id=216895851

Would someone explain to me why China is participating in the 2014 Rim of the Pacific wargames?

Sorry to break it to you, but no one in the intelligence community in their right mind will disclose that info on a forum like this.  What you will probably be told or hear via the media or USN public relations is a blanket statement regarding China's participation.

Information/intelligence gathering?  Works both ways, though.

It sure does, and as anyone would guess there are there are preventive measures put in place during these types of events... on both sides.

Sorry to break it to you, but lots of intelligence can be gathered from mere actions and observing the decision-making processes of the opponents.

Sorry to break it to you, but lots of intelligence can be gathered from mere actions and observing the decision-making processes of the opponents.

Have you ever participated in Rim Pac or are you making a gereral statment of intelligence gathering methods?  Sure aggregated intelligence gathering is one of the least intrusive means, but if you think that every country that attends that event is not fully aware of that, you are wrong.

The old Godfather adage "Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer" may have some bearing on the decision.

But considering the abject fool that usurped the oval office, who knows what is going on.

Some really good information and analysis here (April 3, 2013):

http://thediplomat.com/flashpoints-blog/2013/04/03/china-rimpac-and-containment/

...

The announcement is hardly unexpected. The U.S. has been signaling its interest in having China join the multinational exercise since Beijing’s exclusion at last year’s event generated media attention. An official invitation went out to the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) in January, which PLAN accepted last month according to the S&S report.

On the one hand including China in RIMPAC makes perfect sense. For starters, it fits into Washington’s goal of increasing military-to-military contacts with the PLA in order to increase the transparency of China’s military modernization and reduce tensions between the U.S. military and the PLA. Furthermore, as RIMPAC has grown larger over the years it has become increasingly difficult to defend the exercise as aimed at anything but China.

...