Sankei wrote today in a front-page article that the PLA Navy refused to allow MSDF officials to visit its missile frigate in Hawaii on July 9 even though the warship, which took part in the multinational RIMPAC  exercises, was opened to the general public. Military officials from all other RIMPAC participants were apparently allowed to tour the Chinese ship. While calling China’s rejection extremely unusual and rude, the daily conjectured that the PLA chose not to allow the Japanese officials to tour the frigate in order to express displeasure with Japan’s criticism of China’s maritime advancement in the South China Sea.