China Asks Asia Powers to Joint in War Games and US is Not Invited, Report Says

August 3, 2018

Newsweek:

China has reportedly invited regional powers to join it for a new round of upcoming war games—and the U.S. is not invited. Citing a draft of the code of conduct being flushed out between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Agence France-Presse reported Thursday that Beijing was seeking to persuade leaders of the 10-member organization to participate in upcoming military exercises and energy exploration in the waters of Asia, where Chinese and ASEAN territorial claims overlap.

Vietnam was reportedly the most resistant to the move, accusing China of militarizing artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea, but other countries apparently put up little opposition to the proposition.

In the draft document, China specifically stipulated that outside countries should not be allowed to participate in joint China-ASEAN exercises “unless the parties concerned are notified beforehand and express no objection,” AFP reported.

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