China vs West in dueling South China Sea exercises

China will stage a five-day military training exercise in the South China Sea off southeast Hainan province beginning on August 6, large-scale maneuvers that will provocatively coincide with nearby US-led exercises in the contested maritime region. According to a China Maritime Safety Administration noticereleased on Wednesday, China will prohibit ships from entering a restricted area between the Paracel Islands and Hainan island province from early on August 6 to the end of August 10.

Meanwhile, the US Indo-Pacific Command said on August 2 it would conduct the LSGE21 with the United Kingdom’s armed forces, Australian Defense Force and Japan Self-Defense Force. It said the US would train with allies and partners to improve interoperability, trust, and shared understanding to better address security challenges impacting all nations.

“We view with concern China’s unlawful claim to the entire South China Sea – directly and negatively impacting all of the countries in the region, from their livelihood, whether it be with fishing or access to natural resources,” John Aquilino, commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, said during a presentation at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on August 4.

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