China on Thursday confirmed it would send warships to join a major U.S.-hosted naval drill this summer, even as tension between the world's two largest economies mounts over the South China Sea.

Chinese President Xi Jinping presided Monday over the creation of five new military regions, part of the streamlining of the 2.3 million-member People's Liberation Army while also signaling his firm control over the armed forces.

Days after China passed a new law that for the first time permits its military to venture overseas on counter-terror operations, its marines began exercises in the western deserts of Xinjiang, more than 2,000 kilometers from the nearest ocean.

China and Pakistan completed a joint two-day naval drill on Friday. It was the first time the two militaries conducted the exercise in the East China Sea.

China's military is paying "close attention" to an agreement between the United States and Singapore to deploy the U.S. P8 Poseidon spy plane to the city state and hopes the move does not harm regional stability, the defense ministry said.

Inserting itself in the South China Sea disputes and sending a warship to the waters close to China’s islands and reefs, the U.S. risks escalating the trend of militarization in the region. While the two countries need “quiet diplomacy” to resolve differences, further escalation in U.S. military actions will certainly alienate the general public of China and cause a tougher military response, significantly amplifying the risk of a conflict between the two countries.

China is developing quickly both in terms of economy and military, and that is a natural process. Most major powers travelled the same way in the past, and a strong China helps preserve peace and stability in the world.

President Xi Jinping announced China would cut the number of its troops by 300,000 while addressing the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of WWII on Sept. 3. The large troop cut in the People's Liberation Army, the 11th of its kind since the founding of New China in 1949, shows the country's sincerity and determination to follow a peaceful development path.

It is no surprise that China’s recent military white paper emphasizes “enhancing joint operational capabilities”. The first step of cooperation could be in military operations other than war.

The last three decades have been relatively easy for China’s defense planners. But its economy is stagnating and its security environment is deteriorating. The