Chinese transport team performs exercises in the South China Sea | Maritime news from southern China
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The announcement was criticized after Beijing sent U.S. military ships to the strategic area.
China’s Shandong aircraft carrier group conducted annual exercises in the South China Sea, the People’s Liberation Army said on Sunday after Beijing criticized the U.S. for sending Army vessels to the strategic area.
Navy spokesman Gao Xiucheng said the exercises are “completely legitimate” and are part of safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests and maintaining peace and stability in the region.
“We hope that the outside world will see it in an objective and rational way. In the future, the Chinese navy will continue to do similar exercises as planned, ”Gao said.
The Chinese Ministry of Defense last week called on the U.S. to halt forces on the front lines in the air and seas near China. U.S. reconnaissance aircraft and warships have become more active around China since President Joe Biden took office.
The South China Sea is particularly contentious, with China’s small neighbors claiming to be the world’s most competitive lanes, as Beijing claims almost in its entirety. China has built a number of man-made islands in controversial disputes over U.S. behavior to militarize the area.
Tensions increase
China has repeatedly complained that the Navy ships are approaching islands in the South China Sea because Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan also have competition claims.
U.S. transport teams have sailed several times this year to islands in conflict-ridden waters, receiving complaints from China.
It is the second aircraft carrier to start after Shandong Liaoning. It was initially bought as a hulk from Ukraine and completely renovated.
Shandong started service in 2019 and is the two newest carrier in China.
The Chinese navy said similar drilling in the past month will come regularly as tensions with the island of Taiwan escalate, with Beijing claiming it as its sovereign territory.
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