The Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Tuesday began the bloc's first joint military exercises in Indonesian waters amid increasing tensions over China's assertiveness in the nearby South China Sea.The five-day drills around Indonesia's Natuna Islands are focusing on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief rather than combat operations, said Indonesia, this year's ASEAN chair. Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Thailand have sent military personnel.Indonesian military chief Adm. Yudo Margono put aside views that the drills are being held in response to tensions over a new…READ FULL ARTICLE
