The U.S.-Japan joint military exercise is likely to irk the Chinese government as it comes just days after the U.S.-China summit in California.
Amid tensions with China, Japan and the U.S. will hold a joint military exercise on California's southern coast in the next two week. This comes just days after the Sunnyland summit between President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
The U.S. and Japanese military officials told reporters that the joint military drill is aimed at helping Japan's Self-Defense Force to manage natural disasters on the Island nation.
However, China is likely to feel "cheated" by the U.S. government as the exercise comes just after the summit where the two leaders had discussed about the possibilities of putting the China Sea tensions to an end.
Given the high-tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over the Islands in the South China Sea in recent times, the joint military drill is likely to irk the Chinese government. It was similarly displeased by the visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Japan following Xi's visit to New Delhi last month.
"It's another dot that the Chinese will connect to show this significant expanding military co-operation," said Tai Ming Cheung, an analyst of Chinese and East Asian security affairs and director of the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation at the University of California, San Diego, according to the Associated Press.
Moreover, there were rumors that the Chinese government had earlier urged the U.S. government to cancel the joint military exercise.
The Japanese Defense and Foreign Ministry didn't confirm if China had asked the U.S. to forgo the military drill but told the media that they were going to ahead with the exercises.
Col. Grant Newsham, marine liaison to the Japanese military said that "defensive military empowerment" was vital to preserve peace and stability in the respective countries.
"If the 20th century taught us anything, it is that when democracies are able and willing to defend themselves, it preserves peace and stability," said Col. Grant Newsham, according to the news reports.
"Most Asian countries welcome -- even if quietly stated -- a more capable (Japanese force) that is also closely allied to U.S. forces," said Col. Grant Newsham.
