China kicks off war games in Yellow Sea

China has begun naval exercises in the disputed Yellow Sea amid growing tension with the US and South Korea over their upcoming joint military drills there.

The Chinese military launched a “live ammunition drill” on Wednesday in the sea between China and the Korean peninsula, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the report, many of the planes, vessels and battlefield weaponry to be used in the exercises were unveiled at the National Day military parade on October 1, 2009.

The United States and South Korea are also set to carry out a new round of joint military drills in the Yellow Sea next Sunday.

Any military drills involving the United States in the Yellow Sea are viewed with great concern in the region due to the area’s proximity to China and the disputed maritime boundary between North and South Korea.

Earlier, China voiced opposition to the recent US-South Korean joint exercises as well as the one upcoming, arguing that such drills contribute to heightening tensions in the Korean peninsula and neglect Chinese opposition to foreign military maneuvers off its coast.

Nevertheless, the United States plans to move ahead with its so-called ‘anti-marine warfare’ exercise in September.

In July, the US and South Korea conducted massive joint sea and air drills in the Sea of Japan off the Korean peninsula, prompting condemnation from China.

The July drill was initially scheduled to take place in the Yellow Sea, but was moved to the other side of the Korean peninsula after objections from Beijing.

Eight days after the exercise, Seoul launched its largest-ever anti-submarine drills near the disputed Yellow Sea border with North Korea.