The Chinese navy has conducted combat drills in the South China Sea (SCS) in a show of strength ahead of the July 12 verdict of an international tribunal on a dispute with the Philippines over the strategic waters.
The exercises were held in the waters adjacent to south China’s Hainan Island and Xisha Islands also known as Parcel islands which are claimed by Vietnam in the SCS. The Nanhai Fleet, as well as some forces of the Beihai Fleet and Donghai Fleet, took part in the navy’s annual routine military exercise that covered all sorts of combat platforms, including the air arm, submarine, surface vessel and coastal defence force, state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.
Vietnam has protested to China over the drills. The exercises focusing on air control operations, sea battles and anti-submarine warfare are expected to last till Sunday, a day ahead of the verdict by the tribunal, constituted by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, based in The Hague, would rule on Philippines petition challenging the claims of China over the SCS on July 12.