China holds military exercises in South China Sea

ANKARA

The Chinese military began a three-day military drill in the disputed South China Sea on Wednesday.

In a statement by the Chinese Defense Ministry, the Maritime Safety Administration in China’s southernmost Hainan province said entry of civilian boats inside the maritime zone where the People’s Liberation Army is holding military drill is prohibited until the exercises end.

A recent study found that the US surveyed the South China Sea “on an almost daily basis” in the first half of this year.

Earlier this month, China had pointed to an “outsider” as the cause of trouble in the disputed South China Sea.

“Thanks to joint efforts of China and ASEAN, the situation in the South China Sea has remained generally stable with freedom of navigation and overflight well protected by law," China's Foreign Ministry said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.


"But some country outside the region is trying to wreak havoc by meddling in maritime disputes and sowing discord among regional countries," said the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

It added that the South China Sea "is not and should not become a battleground for big powers."

The South China Sea is claimed by Beijing and several other regional countries, while the continuing US naval operations in the Taiwan Strait, part of the disputed sea, have angered China.

China's assertions are based on its "nine-dash line" – purple dashes on official Chinese maps that denote Beijing's historical claims in the sea.

Meanwhile, China early Thursday launched two Tianhui-2 Group 02 satellites into present orbit via a Long March-4B rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.