Amidst rising tensions over China’s aggression in the adjacent South China Sea, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN began its first combined military exercises in Indonesian waters.
According to Indonesia, this year’s ASEAN chair, the five-day drills offshore Indonesia’s Natuna Islands would focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief rather than combat operations. Military personnel have been sent by Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Thailand.
The drills, according to Indonesian military head Adm. Yudo Margono, are not being held in response to tensions over a new map recently produced by Beijing asserting claim to contentious South China Sea waters.
Mr Margono added that the 10-member ASEAN will remain “united” and that is needed to ensure regional stability.
The drills, which were relocated because of the sensitivities of the initial location, are being held amid diplomatic protests over China’s release last month of its “10-dash line” map, which expands its claims to cover about 90% of the South China Sea.
Report says more than $3 trillion in trade passes through the strategic maritime area each year.
The exercises were originally set to take place in the southernmost waters of the South China Sea, which are also claimed by Beijing.
ASEAN and China have long been negotiating the maritime code of conduct in the South China Sea to help avert confrontation between the disputants.
