Units from the countries of ASEAN began their first ever joint military drills in Indonesia's South Natuna Sea amid rising geopolitical tensions between major powers and protests against China's activities in the South China Sea.
The five-day non-combat operation is aimed at developing military skills, including maritime security and patrols, and the distribution of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, the Indonesian military said in a statement.
"This is not a combat operation because ASEAN is more focused on economics. The training is more about social activities," Yudo Margono, Indonesia's military chief, told reporters after the opening ceremony on the Indonesian island of Batam on Tuesday.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.
The Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam rejected China's map, describing it as baseless. Malaysia also filed a related diplomatic protest.Summit in Jakarta earlier this month, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos said his country did notEarlier this month, the Philippines condemned China's coast guard forresupplying Philippine troops on an uninhabited atoll in the disputed Spratley Islands in the South China Sea.
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