Chinese navy anti-piracy drill ends with detour through South China Sea islands for US attention
- Manoeuvre comes days after US Navy challenged Beijing’s claim to Spratlys
- PLA says it remains committed to its mission despite the Covid-19 pandemic
A Chinese navy fleet conducted an escort mission drill through the disputed Spratly Islands chain in the South China Sea after completing an anti-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden, off Somalia.
Analysts said the mission on Saturday by the 35th escort fleet of the Chinese navy was to boost far-sea training for combat ships and boost protection against piracy for Chinese merchant ships.
PLA Navy officer Yang Aibin was quoted as saying that the Chinese fleet focused on combat exercises to improve their ability to respond to sea and air conditions.
“At the same time, in response to the new situation created by the global epidemic [of Covid-19] and pirates in the nearby area, we are constantly improving our plan and carrying out specialised refining to further enhance the fleet’s ability to perform escort tasks,” he said.
The drill came as the United States stepped up its freedom of navigation operations in the disputed waters, challenging Beijing’s maritime claims.