The harbor on Taiwan’s Nangan island in the Matsu islands with a view of Fujian province, China, on April 10, 2023. (AFP)
China begins military drills in East China Sea, conducts live fire exercises
China began military exercises in the East China Sea to the north of Taiwan on Tuesday, including live-fire exercises from warships, as the US and its allies conduct their drills in the Western Pacific.
China routinely conducts exercises along its coast, though the ones near Chinese-claimed Taiwan often attract the most attention.
For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
China’s Maritime Safety Administration issued a no sail zone warning from late morning to mid-afternoon on Tuesday for an area off Taizhou city in Zhejiang province for live fire exercises from warships.
Other drills around the same location will last until late Tuesday evening, it said.
The drills are near the Dachen islands, which Taiwan controlled until 1955 until being evacuated after other nearby islands were seized by Chinese forces in a bloody battle.
Taiwan still controls the Matsu and Kinmen islands, off the coast of China’s Fujian province, held since the defeated Republic of China government fled to Taipei after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong’s communists.
China will hold separate exercises in another northern part of the East China Sea until late Wednesday afternoon, the maritime safety agency said.
China’s East China Sea exercises coincide with a quadrilateral naval exercise in the Philippine Sea that started on Friday involving the United States, Japan, Canada and France.
That includes two carrier strike groups led by US aircraft carriers USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan jointly operating for the first time since June 2020, the US 7th Fleet said in a statement.
Read more:
China’s largest training naval ship heads for Philippines in ‘friendly’ tour
ASEAN to hold first-ever joint military exercise in South China Sea
China conducts joint air patrol with Russia around Sea of Japan, East China Sea
Also Read
Editor's Choice
-
Arab nations’ best moments of the 2026 World Cup group stage Sports 6 days ago -
Pezeshkian post confirms accuracy of Al Arabiya English’s US-Iran deal scoop Middle East 18 June ,2026 -
US-led effort to boost Lebanon’s army emerges as key pillar of Hezbollah disarmament Middle East 04 June ,2026 -
US, Iran send mixed signals on potential deal after latest attacks Middle East 28 May ,2026