China warns US, Japan, Philippines against 'playing with fire' over joint drills

BEIJING, Apr 20: Beijing warned the United States, Japan and the Philippines against "playing with fire" on Monday, after thousands of troops from the three countries began annual joint military exercises.

"We wish to remind the countries concerned that blindly binding themselves together in the name of security will only be akin to playing with fire -- ultimately backfiring upon themselves," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman GuoJiakun told a news conference when asked about the drills.

"What the Asia-Pacific region most needs is peace and tranquility, and what it least needs is the introduction of external forces to create division and confrontation," Guo Jiakun, a ministry spokesperson, said at a regular press briefing in Beijing when asked about the drills.

Military cooperation between nations should not undermine mutual understanding and trust among regional countries, disrupt regional peace and stability, be directed against third parties or harm their interests, Guo said.

"We would like to remind the relevant countries that persisting in tying themselves together on security will only lead to setting themselves on fire and backfiring," he said.

The annual "Balikatan" or "shoulder-to-shoulder" drills from April 20 to May 8 will see members of Japan's Self-Defense Forces taking part in live-fire drills for the first time.

China's military said last Friday it deployed naval and air forces to monitor the Japanese destroyer JS Ikazuchi that transited the Taiwan Strait. The warship is listed as part of the units participating in the multilateral exercises, according to a statement from Japan's Ministry of Defense.

Asked about Ikazuchi's presence in the strait and Japan's involvement in the military drills, Guo said Tokyo should exercise caution, rather than "flaunting its military might everywhere and undermining regional stability."
    �"REUTERS