South China Sea: PLA tests its landing ships amid tension with Philippines over islands

The People's Liberation Army has conducted drills in the South China Sea featuring landing ships amid tensions over disputed islands with the Philippines.

A naval task force comprising landing ships Danxiashan, Laotieshan and Lushan conducted an all-weather full-course combat exercise over four days in the South China Sea, according to a report by CCTV on Saturday. The state broadcaster only said the drills were carried out "recently" and did not specify when they took place.

Training tasks included two ships berthing alongside each other and rescue practice, the report said.

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The fleet also carried out air-defence training during which the "enemy's" drones were forced to move away after multiple rounds of fire by the task force, according to video in the CCTV report.

Danxiashan, a Type 072 III tank landing ship, also carried out a cover mission to other warships by releasing smoke, the video showed.

The drills tested the Chinese navy's emergency response and coordinated combat capabilities, it said.

Lushan is a Type 073A landing ship, according to public information. Landing ships are designed to support amphibious operations by transporting and deploying troops, vehicles and supplies onto hostile shores.

While the larger amphibious vessels can carry more troops and equipment and release them some way from shore, the smaller Type 072 and Type 073 series landing ships have "special roles to play" in grounding operations directly on islands and reefs, an anonymous military analyst was quoted by Global Times as saying.

In March, the PLA Navy landing ships Wuzhishan and Changbaishan also took part in drills in the South China Sea.

A CCTV screengrab shows PLA drills in the South China Sea featuring landing ships. Photo: CCTV alt=A CCTV screengrab shows PLA drills in the South China Sea featuring landing ships. Photo: CCTV>

The recent state media revelation about the drills comes as Beijing and Manila have repeatedly confronted each other in the disputed South China Sea in recent months, especially over Second Thomas Shoal, which China calls Renai Jiao and the Philippines refers to as Ayungin Shoal.

In the latest clash between the two sides, the Chinese coastguard said last Monday it had carried out a "boarding inspection" on a Philippine boat tasked with a supply mission to a grounded Philippine warship on the disputed shoal.

Manila accused the Chinese coastguard of physical attacks and damaging its vessels, and said eight Philippine sailors were injured in the face-off, including one who lost a thumb.

On Sunday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said his country "will never be intimidated" by anyone, without directly naming China. He also urged the sailors who took part in the resupply mission to "continue to fulfil your duty of defending the nation".

The most recent drills came after the PLA recently reported carrying out several training exercises in the disputed waters, including one deploying three large Type 055 destroyers, although it did not say when the drill occurred.

Earlier this month, a Chinese navy Type 075 amphibious assault ship and a Type 071 amphibious landing ship were separately spotted in disputed waters in the South China Sea.

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.

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