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Zhao Ziwen

The Chinese navy has staged combat drills in the South China Sea featuring one of its most advanced amphibious warfare ships.
The Jinggang Shan, a Type 071 landing ship, “recently” took part in an extensive drill over several days, according to a social media post by the People’s Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command.
It said this “high-intensity maritime training” was designed to improve the navy’s operational coordination and ability to perform diverse missions in challenging environments.
The exercises included both offensive and defensive manoeuvres, information gathering, battlefield rescues, helicopter drills and a simulation in which the ship successfully tracked and destroyed a target in the air.
The Southern Theatre Command did not say where or when the exercises occurred.
The ship is capable of carrying hundreds of troops and dispatching four hovercraft and 15 amphibious vehicles at the same time.

Meanwhile state broadcaster CCTV reported that two frigates had conducted live-fire exercises in the South China Sea, including air defence and anti-submarine drills. Another exercise saw the navy practising anti-mine operations designed to “break the enemy’s blockade of shipping lanes”.
It did not say whether these exercises were related to the Jinggang Shan’s drill or were separate.
Earlier this year, the Jinggang Shan visited Cambodia and East Timor to take part in joint training exercises and boost ties with their hosts.
The ship’s recent drills in the South China Sea come amid heightened tensions between China and the Philippines.
At the same time, Manila has moved to strengthen its military ties with its neighbours and the United States, including its first joint coastguard drill with Vietnam off the west coast of Luzon earlier this month.


In 2016 the Philippines brought a case to an international tribunal in The Hague, which dismissed Beijing’s claims. China refused to take part in the process and has never accepted the ruling.
The tension between the two countries has intensified since President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr came to power two years ago, particularly in a series of confrontations in recent months.
Many of these have taken place near the Philippine-held Second Thomas Shoal, but recently Sabina Shoal has become the main focus of their rivalry.
On Monday, two Philippine vessels on a resupply mission were damaged in a collision with a Chinese ship near the shoal, where the BRP Teresa Magbanua, one of the most advanced Philippine coastguard ships, has been stationed since April.
China has also sent several ships to the area, including the CCG-5901, the world’s biggest coastguard vessel.


Philippine fishing crews have also complained that Chinese vessels are obstructing their activities, with the most recent incident taking place near Scarborough Shoal, another disputed feature which is held by Beijing.
As well as its dispute with the Philippines, China’s sweeping claims to much of the resource-rich South China Sea also overlap with those of Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.
During the recent visit to China by Vietnam’s new leader To Lam, the two countries agreed to resolve their dispute “through friendly consultations”.


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Quad plans joint patrols in Indo-Pacific to counter illegal fishing where China’s influence growing

South China Sea: Philippine ship leaves Sabina Shoal, but Manila vows to send another

South China Sea

PLA sends advanced landing craft for ‘high-intensity’ drills amid South China Sea tensions

The Jinggang Shan can carry hundreds of troops as well as landing vehicles and helicopters. Photo: Weibo/ PLA Southern Command

The exercise included helicopter drills. Photo: Weibo/ PLA Southern Theatre Command

China’s most advanced amphibious assault ship spotted near Japanese waters

China’s Type 075 amphibious assault vessel was spotted near the first island chain in the Pacific Ocean in what one analyst described as “routine activity”. Photo: Weibo

A Type 052D destroyer; one such ship accompanied the Type 075 near Okinawa. Photo SCMP

South China Sea: PLA aircraft carrier Shandong shows its presence and combat readiness

The Shandong’s appearance in the Philippine Sea this week did not just signal PLA presence to the Americans, but showed it could carry out consecutive deployments with a short break, an analyst says. Photo: Weibo/@央广军事

Why has Sabina Shoal become a China-Philippines flashpoint?

Tensions between the Chinese coastguard and Philippine vessels near Sabina Shoal could become more frequent, analysts say. Photo: AFP

News

China

Diplomacy

Military

‘Recent’ exercises involving the Type-071 Jinggang Shan took place against a backdrop of regular clashes between China and the Philippines


‘Recent’ exercises involving the Type-071 Jinggang Shan took place against a backdrop of regular clashes between China and the Philippines.
