China conducts live-fire drills in the Gulf of Tonkin

A Chinese coast guard unit conducted live-fire drills in the Gulf of Tonkin today amid rising tensions in the South China Sea.

The Chinese navy illegally conducted live-fire drills in the waters between Hainan Island and Vietnam's Hoang Sa archipelago on July 8. Photo: AP.

China's Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) said today that the live-fire drill area is located between Hainan Island and northern Vietnam waters, and ships are banned from coming here from August 22 to 24, according to AP.

China's navy and air force have held several drills in the "nine-dash line" area that the country unilaterally claimed since the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled against Beijing's claims.

Beijing has declared that it does not accept the ruling and has brazenly said that it will continue to build runways, ports and other infrastructure on the structures it illegally occupies.

China said yesterday it had conducted naval exercises in the East China Sea involving its latest generation destroyer. Beijing disputes sovereignty over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the sea with Tokyo.

China also plans to hold joint exercises with Russia in the East Sea after repeatedly criticizing US naval activities as "harming peace and stability".area.

Vietnam affirms its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos. Any activities of other countries in these two archipelagos without Vietnam's consent are illegal and worthless.

According to VNE