BEIJING, April 20 – Chinese officials voiced opposition Monday to ongoing joint military training exercises involving the United States, Philippines, and Japan, arguing such partnerships threaten stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
During a routine press conference in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun emphasized that military alliances between nations should not damage relationships and confidence among countries in the region.
“What the Asia-Pacific region most needs is peace and tranquility, and what it least needs is the introduction of external forces to create division and confrontation,” Guo stated during the briefing.
The Chinese official issued a stern warning to the participating nations about their security cooperation efforts.
“We would like to remind the relevant countries that persisting in tying themselves together on security will only lead to setting themselves on fire and backfiring,” Guo said.
The comments came in response to questions about the yearly joint military training exercises organized by the Philippines and the United States, which now include participation from Japanese military forces.
