Alwaght- China is dispatching a fleet of some of its most advanced warships to the South China Sea for a scheduled exercise this month amid rising tensions with the US in the disputed region.
Three naval ships of China's Nanhai Fleet left a naval port in Sanya, Hainan Province, on Wednesday, kicking off an annual combat drill in the South China Sea and neighboring waters, Xhinhua news agency reported.
The three ships include missile destroyer Hefei, missile frigate Sanya and supply ship Honghu. They will later be joined by missile destroyers Lanzhou and Guangzhou, as well as missile frigate Yulin, which are now carrying out other duties.
With three helicopters and dozens of "special warfare" soldiers, the fleet will be separated into three groups that will sail to areas of the South China Sea, the east Indian Ocean and the west Pacific, to conduct varied drills.
The fleet will mobilize naval air force, garrison forces in the Xisha and Nansha islands, and forces of the Beihai Fleet along the way to take part in the drill.
The drill aims to enhance combat readiness and practise coordination between ships and aircraft, and other forces, the navy said.
Beijing is asserting its sovereignty over a big chunk of the sea, which is a major trading route and is believed to be rich in minerals. Contesting claims have been made by the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan.
China is furthering its presence in the region by reclaiming artificial islands and turning building infrastructure on them, including airstrips. It says its primary focus for such actions is civilian and is aimed at better weather forecast, emergency response and other crucial missions.
The US is rejecting China's sovereignty and challenges Beijing by conducting so-called freedom of navigation missions. In furthering it hegemonic policies, the US sends military ships and warplanes through the space, which China considers under its sovereignty.
Last Friday Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said external forces should not interfere in the South China Sea issue.
Lavrov, who was in Beijing to attend the fifth Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), and for an official visit to China, made the remarks during talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
Lavrov said Russia holds that the South China Sea issue should be resolved peacefully through political means, such as negotiations between the parties directly concerned, while external forces should refrain from interfering.
Last week China denied a request for a U.S. carrier strike group led by the USS John C. Stennis to visit to Hong Kong. The nuclear-powered Stennis has been provocatively conducting patrols in the South China Sea.
