Pentagon must think again about war games snub to Chinese navy
As a fast-rising naval power, China should not have been excluded from the exercises by the United States as they are an opportunity for the two nations to cooperate and ease tensions
China has been excluded by the United States from taking part in the world’s largest multinational navy exercises as a penalty for claimed militarising of the South China Sea.
Beijing sees its deployment of missiles, placement of military equipment and landing of bombers on artificial islands in the region as necessary to protect sovereignty.
With American warships and surveillance vessels regularly traversing the waters, the latest on Sunday involving a destroyer and a cruiser near the Paracel Islands, also known as the Xisha Islands, there is every need for the sides to engage to prevent mishaps. Kicking the People’s Liberation Army Navy out of a process meant to build trust and cooperation is short-sighted.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi understandably called the decision by the Pentagon “non-constructive”. He made the remark in Washington after meeting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said the issue of the South China Sea had been discussed.
But China’s island-building and construction of military outposts in the disputed region is not new and the Chinese navy took part in the past two Rim of the Pacific war games. The biggest change has been the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency and a markedly more hawkish stand towards Beijing.