The Army Chief of Staff for U.S. Forces Japan says that despite China’s concerns, South Korean and U.S. forces will continue to hold joint naval exercises in the Yellow Sea.

Colonel Patrick Stackpole told a group of reporters in Tokyo on Monday that the U.S. will continue to conduct such exercises to show that it is a strong ally of South Korea and is able to act in its defense.

On China's concerns about the drills, Stackpole said that Washington properly notified China and other countries in advance about the exercises. He said that the U.S. is transparent with its exercises in South Korea and that such transparency will be maintained in the future.