Chinese Fire Power in South China Sea Days Ahead Of Court Ruling

A Chinese J-31 stealth fighter. China held the largest ever live fire drill in the South China just days ahead of the anticipated ruling by The Hague over the Philippines’ case brought against China’s South China Sea claims. China’s media reported that jet fighters, navy ships, submarines and helicopters took part in the exercise near the disputed Paracel islands. (Photo JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images)

China’s PLA Navy has launched its largest ever live fire drill in the South China Seajust days before the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague is set to issue a ruling over the Philippines’ case brought against Beijing’s South China Sea claims.

On Sunday, the country’s CCTV broadcast images of jet fighters, and navy ships firing missiles, and helicopters taking off and submarines surfacing. The PLA Daily said that “the drill focuses on air control operations, sea battles and anti-submarine warfare.”

Though the Hong-Kong based South China Morning Post said that the it was the largest live-fire drill ever held in the South China Sea, Beijing is claiming that its a “routine drill.” The CCTV report said that “China’s navy has conducted a routine combat drill in waters off the Hainan and Xisha Islands.

“The PLA has always said its drills do not target a third party. But warships from the South Sea Fleet are playing key roles in the drills, and commanders on-site are all top leaders in the army, hinting that the US Navy was the imagined target,” said Antony Wong Dong, a Macau-based military observer. He added that the prominence of the south fleet taking part in the exercise was noteworthy.

On July 3, China announced that it would hold military exercises  near the Paracel islands in the South China Sea, from July 5 to July 11. A statement at the time from China’s maritime safety administration gave coordinates for the drills which cover an area from the east of Hainan island, China’s southernmost territory, down to and including the Paracel Islands. Other ships have been prohibited from entering those waters during that time, the statement said, without elaborating further.

The exercises come days just a few weeks the U.S. also showed a display of force off the cost of the Philippines by sending two aircraft carrier battle groups in what many called a “rare move” by involving two aircraft carrier groups.

The aircraft carriers, USS John C. Stennis and USS Ronald Reagan, and their respective strike groups launched a three day joint operation, while carrying out a variety of training, including air defense drills, defensive air combat training, long-range strikes and sea surveillance, according to U.S. Navy official statements.

U.S. Navy Adm. John Richardson, chief of naval operations, said that the Navy doesn’t get to operate two-carrier operations very often, calling it a “terrific opportunity for us just to do some high-end war fighting and training.” He added that the dual-carrier operations should be considered a signal to other nations in the region that the United States is committed to its allies.

U.S. Navy Adm. John Richardson, chief of naval operations, said that the Navy doesn’t get to operate two-carrier operations very often, calling it a “terrific opportunity for us just to do some high-end war fighting and training.” He added that the dual-carrier operations should be considered a signal to other nations in the region that the United States is committed to its allies.

PHILIPPINE SEA – JUNE 18: In this handout provided by the U.S. Navy, a combined formation of aircraft from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 pass in formation above the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). The formation included F/A-18 Hornets from the Black Aces of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41, the Diamondbacks of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102, the Eagles of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 115, the Royal Maces of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27, the Vigilantes of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 151, and the Warhawks of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 97. The Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS John C. Stennis and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) conducted dual aircraft carrier strike group operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. (Photo by Lt. Steve Smith/U.S. Navy via Getty Images)

In response, the Beijing-based Global Times, which often expresses the views of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), said the “U.S. must pay a price it can not afford if it intervenes in the South China Sea by force.”

Beijing, for its part, has stated repeatedly that is will not recognize an unfavorable ruling by The Hague and has been trying  to line up international support ahead of the Court’s ruling.

The Court, according to many analysts, will likely rule in favor of the Philippines, who is claiming that China’s has violated the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which Beijing ratified in 1992. Beijing, for its part, claims more than 80% of the South China Sea, based on what it calls ancient or historical rights.

In 2012, China seized Scarborough Shoal from the Philippines after a tense two month stand off between a lone Philippine naval vessel and several Chinese maritime surveillance ships. Scarborough Shoal is clearly within the Philippines 200-nautical miles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and only 140 miles from Manila.

(Source : forbes.com)

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