Washington: The United States has disinvited China from participating in annual maritime exercises in the Pacific because of its "continued militarisation" of the South China Sea, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
"China's continued militarisation of disputed features in the South China Sea only serve to raise tensions and destabilise the region," Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Chris Logan said.
"We have disinvited the PLA Navy from the 2018 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise. China's behavior is inconsistent with the principles and purposes of the RIMPAC exercise."
