TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The largest naval war game in the world, RIMPAC, will see 26 countries participate in this year’s edition, but not Taiwan, reports said Thursday (June 2).

After United States President Joe Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022, it was expected that Taiwan might be invited, as the document included a call from both houses of Congress for its participation in a reaction to increasingly aggressive behavior by China.

Nevertheless, Taiwan was not on the list of 26 countries expected to take part in the Rim of the Pacific exercises from June 29 thru Aug. 4 in Honolulu, Hawaii, and San Diego, California, Newtalk reported.

Naval units from the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad Nations, the U.S., Australia, India, and Japan will be present, as will delegations from the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei. A total of 25,000 officers, 170 warplanes, four submarines, and 38 ships will be involved in RIMPAC.

Activities on the program included amphibious warfare, minesweeping, anti-submarine warfare, the handling of explosions, and anti-submarine warfare, the report said.