PLA sends advanced landing craft for 'high-intensity' drills amid South China Sea tensions
The Chinese navy has staged combat drills in the South China Sea featuring one of its most advanced amphibious warfare ships.
The Jinggang Shan, a Type-071 landing ship, "recently" took part in an extensive drill over several days, according to a social media post by the People's Liberation Army Southern Command.
It said this "high-intensity maritime training" was designed to improve the navy's operational coordination and ability to perform diverse missions in challenging environments.
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The exercises included both offensive and defensive manoeuvres, information gathering, battlefield rescues, helicopter drills and a simulation in which the ship successfully tracked and destroyed a target in the air.
Southern Command did not say where or when the exercises occurred.
The ship is capable of carrying hundreds of troops and dispatching four hovercraft and 15 amphibious vehicles at the same time.
The exercise included helicopter drills. Photo: Weibo/ PLA Southern Command alt=The exercise included helicopter drills. Photo: Weibo/ PLA Southern Command>
Meanwhile state broadcaster CCTV reported that two frigates had conducted live-fire exercises in the South China Sea, including air defence and anti-submarine drills. Another exercise saw the navy practising anti-mine operations designed to "break the enemy's blockade of shipping lanes".
It did not say whether these exercises were related to the Jinggang Shan's drill or were separate.
Earlier this year, the Jinggang Shan visited Cambodia and East Timor to take part in joint training exercises and boost ties with their hosts.
The ship's recent drills in the South China Sea come amid heightened tensions between China and the Philippines.
At the same time, Manila has moved to strengthen its military ties with its neighbours and the United States, including its first joint coastguard drill with Vietnam off the west coast of Luzon earlier this month.
In 2016 the Philippines brought a case to an international tribunal in The Hague, which dismissed Beijing's claims. China refused to participate in the process and has never accepted the ruling.
The tension between the two countries has intensified since President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr came to power two years ago, including a series of confrontations in recent months.
Many of these have taken place near the Philippine-held Second Thomas Shoal, but recently Sabina Shoal has become the main focus of their rivalry.
On Monday, two Philippine vessels on a resupply mission were damaged in a collision with a Chinese ship near the shoal, where the BRP Teresa Magbanua, one of the most advanced Philippine coastguard ships, has been stationed since April.
China has also sent several ships to the area, including the CCG-5901, the world's biggest coastguard vessel.
Philippine fishing crews have also complained that Chinese vessels are obstructing their activities, with the most recent incident taking place near Scarborough Shoal, another disputed feature which is held by Beijing.
As well as its dispute with the Philippines, China's sweeping claims to much of the resource-rich South China also overlap with those of Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.
During the recent visit to China by Vietnam's new leader To Lam, the two countries agreed to resolve their dispute "through friendly consultations".
This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Copyright (c) 2024. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.