China Conducts 8-day Naval Drills in Yellow Sea
China has launched regular military exercises in the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Strait, says the Chinese People's Liberation Army's Daily, the Chinese military's official newspaper.
The China's military newspaper reported that eight days of "military missions" had begun on Friday in the northern parts of the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Strait, adjacent to the Korean Peninsula.
The statement says: "The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) will perform military missions in the relevant waters of the Bohai Strait and the north of the Yellow Sea from 16:00 of July 17 to 16:00 of July 24, 2015, according to the official website of the Liaoning Maritime Safety Administration (LMSA) of the People's Republic of China (PRC)."
Until next Friday, China's maritime authorities have banned ships from sailing in the affected areas. The brief report did not give details, including the purpose of the drills or how many troops were mobilized.
China always has been sensitive over joint military drills by South Korea and the United States in the Yellow Sea, which have been defensive in nature and conducted to increase their defense posture against North Korea's provocations.