tokyo: Japanese troops will converge on California’s southern coast in the next two weeks as part of a military exercise with US troops to imporve amphibious attack abilities.
Officials said the training will help Japan’s Self-Defence Force better respond to crises such as natural disasters. But China may see it differently, given the tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over islands claimed by both in the East China Sea.
“It’s another dot that the Chinese will connect to show this significant expanding military cooperation,” said Tai Ming Cheung, an analyst of Chinese and East Asian security affairs.
The drill comes just days after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit with President Barack Obama at a California estate, where they discussed topics including the Pacific region’s mounting tensions.
THE PHILIPPINE STAR
