China has warned the United States, Japan and the Philippines not to "play with fire" as the three countries began their largest-ever annual joint military exercises, WION reported.
The exercises include shooting in the northern Philippines facing the Taiwan Strait and in a province on the disputed South China Sea, where Philippine and Chinese forces have engaged in repeated confrontations. More than 17,000 soldiers, airmen and sailors are taking part in the joint exercises.
The joint exercises will last 19 days. They will also include contingents from Australia, New Zealand, France and Canada.
"The Asia-Pacific region needs peace and tranquility the most, and the least the introduction of external forces to sow division and confrontation," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun. He reminded the affected countries that blindly committing to security is tantamount to playing with fire that will ultimately backfire on them.
"Regardless of challenges elsewhere in the world, the United States' focus on the Indo-Pacific region and our ironclad commitment to the Philippines remain unwavering," said Lieutenant General Christian Wortman, commander of the U.S. Marine Expeditionary Force.