South China Sea: PLA starts month-long drill in push to modernise soldiers while resisting US operations
- The PLA is stepping up its drills and soldiers must meet real combat and joint operation requirements to improve the Chinese military’s fighting power
- ‘We will not lose an inch of our land left to us by our ancestors,’ says China’s defence ministry
The prolonged PLA drill comes as it intensifies joint operation exercises to help build the Chinese military to meet modern warfare requirements.
China is conducting its military exercise in a zone with a radius of 5km (3.1 miles) west of the Leizhou Peninsula in Guangdong province, according to a navigation restriction notice released by the China Maritime Safety Administration on Friday. The notice warned that other vessels should not enter the area during March, but did not provide further details.
The naval exercises are taking place as China vows to firmly defend its territorial integrity.
“We will not lose an inch of our land left to us by our ancestors,” the defence ministry said in a statement on Monday. “We are determined to maintain the peace and stability of the South China Sea. We oppose any nations creating tensions and stepping up military presence under the name of freedom of navigation.”
In addition to the drill, state-run China Central Television reported that three theatre commands – the Northern, Eastern and Southern – staged joint operation naval exercises in the Yellow Sea, and East and South China seas in recent days.