A joint maritime training involving the South Korean and U.S. naval forces as well as Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force was launched in high seas off the southern coast of Jeju Island on Thursday.

The training will be conducted until Friday. Three AEGIS destroyers, including the U.S.’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier the USS George Washington and Korea’s King Sejong destroyer, as well as around ten submarines and antisubmarine helicopters will participate in the drill.

During the training, the naval forces of the three nations will conduct joint operations including search and rescue missions and the blocking of unidentified ships.

A spokesman from China’s Foreign Ministry said through a briefing last week that the Asian-Pacific countries should work together for peace and stability in Northeast Asia, expressing Beijing’s negative perspective towards the latest trilateral training session.