SINGAPORE — The United States and South Korea announced last week that they would hold the next phase of their joint naval exercises early in September in the Yellow Sea, despite repeated objections from China.
The outcome of this test of strength between Washington and Beijing will have repercussions not only on stability and the balance of power in Northeast Asia, but also in Southeast Asia.
The U.S. military in South Korea on Aug. 20 said that the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington was not scheduled to take part in the forthcoming anti-submarine drill in international waters in the Yellow Sea, between the Korean Peninsula and China.