U.S. disinvites China from multinational military exercise

The Pentagon said Wednesday it has withdrawn an invitation for China to participate in a multinational naval exercise the U.S. is hosting this summer, a sign of fresh tension between Pacific powers.

The move comes amid highstakes manoeuvring over North Korea’s nuclear program, which is scheduled to be the subject of a meeting in June between President Donald Trump and the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un. Trump on Tuesday said he suspected that the North’s recent talk of scrapping the summit could reflect influence from Chinese President Xi Jinping, who recently met with Kim.

Washington also is engaged in a trade dispute with China over U.S. complaints about market access and technology policy.

The U.S. had included China in the past two versions of the naval exercise known as Rim of the Pacific, or RimPac, in 2014 and 2016. The engagements were part of an effort by the Obama administration to stabilize military relations with Beijing even as Washington challenged China to stop placing military assets in the South China Sea. China is pitted against smaller neighbours in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves.

Wednesday’s announcement raises the prospect of a renewed chill in military relations, which have been disrupted many times by China’s objections to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and other issues.