Beijing, July 12 (ANI): The Chinese military has hit out at the United States for conducting joint drills in the South China Sea, saying the timing was 'inappropriate'.
"On various occasions, the US has expressed that it does not intend to intervene in South China Sea disputes. The US is actually sending out the opposite signal," General Chen Bingde, Chief of the General Staff of China's People's Liberation Army was, quoted as, saying by The China Daily.
"We have observed the latest joint exercises between the US and other countries," he added.
General Chen was addressing a news conference after holding talks with Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, who is on a four-day reciprocal visit to China after General Chen's trip to the US in May.
The US, Japan and Australia held a joint military exercise in waters near the South China Sea on Saturday, the first of its kind in the area.
The Philippines conducted an 11-day naval exercise with the US close to the South China Sea, which ended on Friday. While Vietnam and the US are scheduled to hold joint naval drills later this month.
"The timing of these joint exercises is inappropriate, as we see it," Chen said.
"US unmanned aircraft have conducted reconnaissance only 16 nautical miles from China's border. This is very, very close," he added.
According to official figures, China's military budget remained at 95 billion dollars this year, while Washington planned 650 billion dollars in defense spending. (ANI)
|
|
Comments:
