Troops from China and the U.S. are staging joint drills to better manage disaster relief missions.
Since 2005, the U.S.-China Disaster Management Exchange has been part of efforts to build trust and coordination between the two militaries, whose governments are frequently at odds over disputes in the South China Sea and elsewhere.
The drills include academic exchanges, a command post exercise and a live troop exercise in simulated disaster conditions.
The exercise will better prepare the militaries to partner in future humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions.
Along with the Kunming drills, the Chinese and U.S. militaries have joined in naval exercises off the coast of Hawaii and other limited multinational drills mainly aimed at dealing with humanitarian disasters.