Thailand's military held an air show with China on Tuesday ahead of joint maneuvers in a sign of warming ties. Thailand said it was not distancing itself from the United States, which downgraded their military relationship following a 2014 coup.
Five Thai and Chinese military planes performed aerobatics demonstrations for assembled media, flying at an altitude of about 900 meters above the Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, around 260 km northeast of Bangkok.
On Thursday and Friday, Chinese and Thai air forces will conduct their first joint exercises that China has said are aimed at increasing "mutual trust and friendship."