June 13, 2012 - 6:22 AM
BEIJING, China - Ships from the Indian navy are visiting China for the first time in six years as the nations seek to build trust on the high seas.
Four ships led by the guided missile destroyer Rana and carrying 1,400 sailors pulled up at Shanghai's cruise ship dock on Wednesday. Their five-day goodwill visit will include ship tours, band concerts and other friendly exchanges with Chinese naval forces.
Both countries are spending heavily on their militaries, especially their navies, as they seek greater influence in Asia. China launched its first aircraft carrier last year and has increasingly sent its ships into the Indian Ocean.
Mistrust between the Asian giants lingers from a brief but bloody 1963 border war and territorial disputes.
News from © The Associated Press, 2012