China, Asean States to Hold First Drill Amid U.S. Tensions

Date: 19 October 2018 - 21:13

News ID: ۵۸۶۷۳

SINGAPORE (Dispatches) -- China and Southeast Asian states will hold their first joint maritime exercises next week, officials said on Friday, in a move aimed at easing tensions, but which may spark U.S. alarm.
Despite disagreements over the South China Sea, China and Southeast Asia are trying to strike a more conciliatory tone in an effort to stop tensions from spiraling dangerously out of control.
As part of this, the navies of China and the 10-member Asean are set to hold their first joint drills, which will take place in the South China Sea.
"As we speak, the navies of Asean are en route to Zhanjiang in China for the Asean-China Maritime Exercise," Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said.
Making the announcement at a gathering of Asean defense ministers, also attended by Pentagon chief James Mattis and his Chinese counterpart, Ng said the drills would help to "build trust, confidence".
The city of Zhanjiang in southern China is home to the South Sea Fleet of the People's Liberation Army.
The Maritime Security and Counter-terrorism Exercise in 2016 was the largest the 10 Asean countries and their eight partners conducted. It was held in Brunei, Singapore and surrounding waters and it involved 3,500 personnel, 18 naval vessels, 25 airc
Table-top exercises between Asean and China were held in Singapore in August to prepare for next week's drills.
U.S. officials may however be alarmed that traditional allies in Southeast Asia appear to be drawing closer to China.
In an effort to lessen any such fears, Ng also said Asean was planning to hold maritime exercises with the U.S. for the first time next year.
However, two U.S. heavy long-range bombers flew near China’s islands in the South China Sea.
The B-52H Stratofortress bombers departed from the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam and "participated in routine training mission in the vicinity of the South China Sea.”
It is not known which islands the bombers flew by, but recent tensions have focused on the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.
Washington's military presence in the region, halfway around the world, has led to worries about an increasing risk of accidental collisions that could spark a consequential wider conflict.