China exercises in the South China Sea as Biden visits Asia
According to SCMP, The office of the Maritime Safety Administration, on the southern Chinese island of Hainan, said the drills began on May 19 and will continue until May 23.
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Aircraft and ships will be “banned” from entering the exercise area, the office said, without giving further details.
US President Joe Biden meanwhile has begun tours of South Korea and Japan. In Japan, Mr. Biden will meet leaders of the QUAD group, which includes Australia, India, Japan and the US. The four countries share concerns about China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the region.
Beijing claims illegal sovereignty over the South China Sea, an important waterway in Asia. The US does not take a position of sovereignty but supports “freedom of navigation operations” in the sea and regularly sends warships near China’s militarized islands in the area.
According to SCMP, China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, has been operating in the Sea of Japan since the beginning of the month. China’s Defense Ministry described the drills as “regular training” aimed at promoting operations “in line with relevant international law and international practice, and not aimed at any party.” .
Two Chinese long-range nuclear-capable H-6 bombers flew over the area on May 18, state media reported.
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