Beijing: China's navy held its first drill simulating the resupply of missiles in a combat environment in the Yellow Sea, the Defence Ministry said today, the latest sign of the country's growing military prowess.
The live-fire exercises, involving ships, aircraft and land-based forces, featured the firing of missiles, torpedoes and shells, some of which were new models, the ministry said in a statement on its website.
They were fired to intercept surface, underwater and airborne targets, and the drill "for the first time organized a maritime missile combat resupply exercise", it added, without giving details.
China has ramped up defense spending to modernize its forces, the world's largest, which are gaining experience in operating far from its coast.
In a May defense strategy paper, China vowed to continue growing its "open seas protection" and criticized neighbors who take "provocative actions" on its reefs and islands.
China has almost finished building a 3,000-metre (10,000-foot) airstrip on one of its artificial islands in the disputed Spratly archipelago of the South China Sea, new satellite photographs of the area show.
China wants to develop an ocean-going "blue water" navy capable of defending the growing interests of the world's second-largest economy as it adopts a more assertive stance in territorial disputes with neighbors in the South and East China seas.
China's increasingly assertive moves to press sovereignty claims have rattled the region and aroused concern in Washington, although the country says it has no hostile intent.
China has overlapping claims with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei in the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year.
China and Japan are also in dispute over a group of uninhabited islets in the East China Sea.
The live-fire exercises, involving ships, aircraft and land-based forces, featured the firing of missiles, torpedoes and shells, some of which were new models, the ministry said in a statement on its website.
They were fired to intercept surface, underwater and airborne targets, and the drill "for the first time organized a maritime missile combat resupply exercise", it added, without giving details.
In a May defense strategy paper, China vowed to continue growing its "open seas protection" and criticized neighbors who take "provocative actions" on its reefs and islands.
Advertisement
China wants to develop an ocean-going "blue water" navy capable of defending the growing interests of the world's second-largest economy as it adopts a more assertive stance in territorial disputes with neighbors in the South and East China seas.
Advertisement
China has overlapping claims with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei in the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year.
Advertisement
© Thomson Reuters 2015
COMMENTS
Advertisement
China Landlord Tries To Evict Cancer-Stricken Tenant Over Property Value Concerns Jugraj Singh Shines As Dominant India Beat China To Win 5th Asian Champions Trophy Title Pakistan Players Hold China Flag During Asian Champions Trophy Final Against India. Internet Reacts 9 Dead, 2,800 Hurt As Pagers Explode Across Lebanon, Hezbollah Blames Israel Highlights: Arvind Kejriwal Resigns, Atishi To Be Delhi Chief Minister IndiGo Flight Tailstrike Leaves Huge Dent During Take-Off From Delhi Airport Kamala Harris Dials Trump After Apparent Assassination Attempt Ghislaine Maxwell's Sex-Trafficking Conviction Upheld, Appeal Planned Stage Set For Phase 1 Of J&K Elections Today, 24 Seats Up For Contest Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.