Beijing announces South China Sea drills ahead of court’s verdict on disputed islands
RT.com
3 Jul, 2016
On the eve of The Hague court’s ruling on the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, China’s maritime safety administration announced it will conduct routine naval drills in the area prohibiting other ships from entering the waters around them.
The naval drills, which will cover the area east of China’s Hainan Island all the way to and including the Paracels, will be held on July 5-11, Reuters reports, citing a brief statement published online.
Beijing’s territorial claims to the islands partly overlap those of the Philippines, Vietnam, and Taiwan, while Beijing also has ongoing territorial disputes in the area with Malaysia and Brunei.
An arbitration court in the Dutch city of The Hague will be hearing the dispute between China and the Philippines on July 12.
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