Missile boats join Chinese army live drills in East China Sea

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Friday launched live drills in the East China Sea which were joined by missile boats, state media reported.

The naval unit from the PLA’s Eastern Theater Command led multiple missile boats for “comprehensive training” that included live weapon training and formation maneuvers.

According to the command, the exercise “focused on honing combat forces under complex conditions, emphasizing command control, personnel coordination, and emergency response.”

In the East China Sea, Beijing shares maritime borders with North Korea, South Korea, and Japan, as well as Taiwan.

“It aims to identify and resolve issues, test weapon system performance, and further enhance the unit's combat readiness and operational capabilities,” it said.

Meanwhile, a fleet of China Coast Guard (CCG) Friday conducted patrols around the disputed Diaoyu Islands.

“It is a rights-safeguarding patrol carried out by the CCG in accordance with the law,” said the coast guard.

The Diaoyu Islands are known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan. The islands have long been a source of contention for both nations.

At a Foreign Ministry news conference, China on Friday said it can allow the Philippines to transport “necessary living materials,” and evacuate Filipino personnel from the “illegally grounded warship,” if Beijing is informed in advance.

“But the Philippines shall not use this as an excuse to transport building materials to the grounded warship in a plan to permanently occupy the Ren'ai Jiao,” said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning.

Mao was responding to Manila’s accusations that the China Coast Guard prevented the Philippines from carrying out the medical evacuation of a sick soldier from the rusting warship.