China to host 6-nation military drills to "deepen trust" with Southeast Asia

China will hold anti-terrorism exercises with five Southeast Asian neighbours in Chinese waters later this month, the country’s defence ministry said.

The joint drills come as China seeks to “deepen military mutual trust” at a time of heightened tensions over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The militaries of Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam will take part in the “Aman Youyi 2023” drills, with China hosting the multinational exercise for the first time since they started in 2014.

The drills, focusing on both land and marine counterterrorism and security operations, will be held in Zhanjiang, a port city in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, the defence ministry said in a statement on November 12.

This is the first time for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos to join the exercises.

Both Vietnam and Malaysia contest some of Beijing’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, where its tensions have spiked lately with another rival claimant, the Philippines.

 “The objective of the exercises is to enhance the participating countries’ urban and maritime counterterrorism capabilities, further deepen military mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation, and jointly maintain regional peace and stability,” the defence ministry statement said.

“The Chinese forces taking part in the exercises are primarily drawn from the Southern Theatre Command, with other parties contributing various land combat units and naval vessels,” the statement added, referring to the People’s Liberation Army regional command overseeing Southeast Asia and the South China Sea.

This will be the fifth edition of the routine “Aman Youyi” military drills between China and Southeast Asian countries, aimed at promoting mutual trust in the South China Sea region and boosting response capabilities.

The December 2014 inaugural edition in Kuala Lumpur was initiated by China and Malaysia. It focused on escort, search and rescue, and humanitarian assistance through tabletop exercises. Live exercises in 2015 and 2016 were also hosted by Malaysia.

Thailand, which took part as an observer in 2016, joined the drills in 2018. The 2018 edition was biggest in the series, with the three countries deploying 1,225 personnel, four warships, three large transport aircraft and three helicopters.

The three new entrants have doubled the number of participating countries this year. The six countries held an initial planning conference on the exercise details in May, followed by a final planning conference in August.

The Philippines, which has recently clashed with China over South China Sea rights, took part as an observer in past drills but will not be doing so this time.

Chinese and Philippine coastguard vessels recently clashed near the Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed Spratly Islands, also claimed by Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

Manila called the Chinese actions “illegal” and “dangerous”, while Beijing said the Philippine moves violated Chinese territorial sovereignty and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

Vessels from the two countries also clashed last month in waters around the Scarborough Shoal, claimed by both Beijing and Manila.