China has proposed joint maritime drills with South East Asian nations in the hotly contested South China Sea in 2016. Beijing is currently hosting an informal meeting for defence ministers from the region. China's Defence Minister Chang Wanquan has suggested drills for "maritime rescues and disaster relief". China's reclamation activities in the sea in recent years have raised tensions with its neighbors. The Philippines and Vietnam, in particular, have overlapping claims with China. Read more
