Text Fwd: China Opposes Joint U.S.-South Korea Military Exercise

* Text sent from Rick Rozoff on July 2, 2010

One India
Asian News International
July 2, 2010
China opposes US-South Korea joint military exercise

New Delhi: A top Chinese military official has objected to the proposed joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea in the Yellow Sea.

General Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, told reporters that the location of the upcoming military drill is very close to Chinese territorial waters.

General Ma's comment was China's first public opposition to the drill, the China Daily reports.

The US and South Korea announced the combined military drill in early June to counter North Korea's alleged sinking of an ROK's warship Cheonan in late March that killed 46 sailors.

Soon after it was announced, the anti-submarine drill was delayed to mid-June, and then postponed again to the last week of June.

On June 28, South Korea again postponed the drill to July to ensure US attendance, the paper reports.
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China Daily
July 2, 2010
China opposes US-ROK military drill

A top Chinese military official on Thursday objected to the proposed joint military exercise between the United States and the Republic of Korea in the Yellow Sea.

General Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, told reporters that the location of the upcoming drill is very close to Chinese's sea area, and China strongly opposed it.

Ma's comment was China's first public opposition to the drill.

The US and the ROK announced the combined military drill in early June to counter the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's alleged sinking of an ROK's warship in late March that killed 46.

Soon after it was announced, the anti-submarine drill was delayed to mid-June, then again postponed to the last week of June.

On June 28, the ROK again delayed the drill to July, according an ROK official, to ensure the US' attendance.

The confusing signals sent out by the two sides on whether the aircraft carrier USS George Washington would take part in the drill has made the exercise an even hotter topic.

Debates in the US have revealed concerns about angering China, as there are currently sensitive military relations between the two countries.

"It's a very tough call," Susan Shirk, a former state department official and an expert on Asian security at the University of California at San Diego, was quoted by the Washington Post as saying. "You don't want to be too proactive. But you need to send a clear message."

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Press Trust of India
July 2, 2010
China objects to US, Korea military exercises

Beijing: China, currently conducting exercises in the East China Sea, has objected to the proposed joint military drill between the US and South Korea in the Yellow Sea, saying the location of the war games was too close to its maritime region.

General Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, said the location of the upcoming drill is very close to Chinese's sea area due to which China strongly opposed it.

Ma's comment was China's first public opposition to the drill, state-run China Daily reported today.

Washington and Seoul had announced the combined military drill in early June to counter North Korea's alleged sinking of a South Korean warship in late March that killed 46.

Soon after it was announced, the anti-submarine drill was delayed to mid-June, then again postponed to the last week of June.

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