The US has cancelled an invitation for China to participate in a large-scale naval exercise over concerns that Beijing is continuing to militarise islands in the South China Sea.
The Pentagon said it was disinviting the People’s Liberation Army Navy as “an initial response” to China’s military build-up in the islands, suggesting the Trump administration may be planning further measures against Beijing.
“We have strong evidence that China has deployed anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missile systems, and electronic jammers to contested features in the Spratly Islands region of the South China Sea,” said Lt Col Christopher Logan, a spokesman at the Department of Defence, saying this contradicted Beijing’s own assurances. He added that China’s decision to put bomber aircraft at Woody Island had also raised tensions.