31st Marine Expeditionary Unit to Zhanjiang, China for joint training with the Chinese PLA 1st Marine Brigade

One and the same

U.S., Chinese forces find common ground, exchange training
ZHANJIANG, China — It was history in the making Nov. 17 the moment the Chinese Marines saw their U.S. counterparts step off the buses on their own soil.
Twenty U.S. Marines from A Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit's battalion landing team, and more than 100 Marines from the People's Republic of China's 1st Marine Brigade, participated in a friendly military competition here in order to build relations Nov. 17.
"My intent is to create an environment where our Marines and Chinese Marines can develop a partnership as well as a sense of camaraderie," said U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Marcus Annibale, officer-in-charge of the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force embarked aboard USS Juneau.
After arriving at the 1st Marine Brigade's headquarters, the U.S. and Chinese Marines split into two teams and prepared to run a 400-meter-long obstacle course.
The obstacle course was a timed event. The fastest time during the course went to the Chinese with a time of 2 minutes, 54 seconds. The fastest U.S. Marine was Pfc. Adam Eller with a time of 3:56.
I think the Marines on both sides came across the finish line as brothers-in-arms and enjoyed some friendly camaraderie and competition," Annibale said. "Globally, it's good for the region to see Americans and the Chinese training together in partnership."
After completing the obstacle course, the MEU Marines participated in their host's rifle marksmanship course. There, Marines fired the Type QBZ95 5.8mm automatic rifle in the prone position over a 50-meter firing range. Prior to firing, the U.S. Marines received a brief period of instruction on how to use the rifle and how the Chinese scoring system worked.
At the conclusion of the range exercise, the best performing American and Chinese Marines were awarded prizes. All U.S. Marines exchanged a rank insignia for a Chinese Marine's unit pin.
After leaving the range, the Chinese Marines put on a static display of small arms weaponry for their guests. The display featured automatic assault rifles, lightweight grenade launchers and a rubber reconnaissance craft similar to the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Rubber Reconnaissance Craft.
The day's event ended with the Chinese Marines hosting a buffet-style luncheon featuring some of the local flavor like Chinese broccoli, fried fish, beef stew, gourd soup, steamed rice and spicy shrimp.
With this type of event, Chinese Marine officials here hope that the U.S. Marines can reciprocate this gesture by allowing a Marine officer exchange program in the future.
"We learned a lot from your Marines," said Chinese Marine Maj. De Hai Hu, staff commander of the 1st Marine Brigade. "This event is useful and meaningful and we should have more training like this. This is the first time your Marines have trained with ours, and I hope we can send some of our officers to the United States to train with yours."
For the U.S. Marines, this event was history in the making; this is a first of modern-day training exchanges with U.S. Marines on Chinese soil since World War II.
"In essence, what we did today was the beginning of a new future between both countries," said U.S. Marine Sgt. Josh Barfield, another member of A Co. "It was important for us to be here because we receive the opportunity to meet our Chinese counterparts and realize that they're no different than any one of us."

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