BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- China concluded a joint naval exercise with Southeast Asian countries on Friday, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily reported Saturday.

The three-day exercise was conducted in nearby sea areas and airspace of Qingdao, an eastern coastal city, with focus on jointly handling pirate threats and maritime emergency rescues.

The exercise helps improve the understanding and trust among the navies, deepening their cooperation on defense and security of the sea, and contributes to the maintenance of regional peace and stability, according to the newspaper.