The 14th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) has opened in the eastern Chinese port city of Qingdao. It's the first time China has hosted the event, which focuses on building naval security and maritime cooperation among Pacific Rim nations.

Naval leaders and representatives from 24 countries are attending the two-day event. A multinational joint maritime naval exercise is also expected to take place, to mark the 65th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Navy. The exercise is aimed at improving coordination on emergency rescue and response missions.

The WPNS was founded in 1987, and currently has 21 member states plus three observers. It includes countries on the east of the pacific, such as Canada and Chile, and non-Pacific countries, such as India and Bangladesh. China is one of the group's founding members.