Beijing warns US-Japan military drills will stoke tensions amid dispute
China warns US of 'stoking tensions' in alliance with Japan, which insists exercises are routine
Beijing called on Washington to stop "stoking tension" over the disputed Diaoyu Islands yesterday as the US and Japan began a month-long military drill.
Japanese officials stressed that the drill was a routine exercise, but mainland media suggested it was aimed at containing China in the wake of recent disputes over the eight uninhabited islets, known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan.
Xinhua said in a commentary yesterday that the drill in the western Pacific served no purpose and risked aggravating Sino-Japanese relations and jeopardising future efforts for a peaceful settlement of territorial disputes.
"The move also gives the lie to Washington's alleged neutral stance towards China-Japan disputes and gives birth to more suspicion over the true intentions of the United States in the Asia-Pacific," the commentary said.
It said the drill entailed strategies for taking back islands occupied by enemy troops.
A People's Liberation Army delegation led by Deputy Chief of General Staff Cai Yingting left for an official visit to the US on Monday.