China announces further military exercises in disputed South China Sea
- Announcement follows the Philippines’ decision to step up ‘sovereignty patrols’ near Whitsun Reef
- On Friday mainland Chinese warplanes carried out the biggest incursion yet into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone
China will conduct a military drill in the South China Sea next Monday and Tuesday as tensions in the region continue to rise.
The China Maritime Safety Administration issued a notice on Friday afternoon, saying an area between China’s southernmost province Hainan and the Paracel Islands will be closed to marine traffic due to military training.
The Chinese government insisted the ships were fishing vessels taking shelter, while the Phillipine side described them as militia.
“This exercise would invariably contribute to tensions. Though the current situation appears calm as all sides maintain restraint, there’s no guarantee this could remain the case,” said Collin Koh, a research fellow from the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.
“I believe the Chinese might be signalling their intent to respond – or more precisely, to escalate their response – if Filipino or other foreign direct action is undertaken against the boats in the reef. So it’s a signal aimed at deterring the Filipinos and by extension, the Americans as well should the latter attempt to intervene.”