The first ASEAN-US Maritime Exercise (AUMX) between regional bloc- Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and United States kicked off at the Sattahip Naval Base in Thailand. 

• The five day naval exercise is co-led by the navies of US and Thailand. It will stretch into international waters in Southeast Asia, including Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea and conclude in Singapore.
• It will see participation of navies of all 10 members of ASEAN (Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam) and US.
• Navies of these countries will take part in the naval exercises which include boarding of target vessels to simulate search and seizure.

This mega maritime exercise comes at a time of stepped-up US engagement in region and tensions between China, US and Southeast Asian nations over South China Sea (SCS).