China, US hold rival drills in disputed South China Sea

BEIJING: China showcased on Thursday fighter jets firing missiles in the South China Sea, as it held rival military exercises with the United States in the hotly contested waters.

The drills follow tense standoffs between Beijing and Manila in disputed reefs that saw vessels from the two countries collide and Chinese ships blast water cannon at Philippine boats.

China last month voiced growing frustration and anger at the Philippines´ unexpectedly bold tactics, warning its neighbour to exercise “caution”.

And footage shared by state broadcaster CCTV and the Chinese military on Thursday showed what they called “live fire drills” taking place over the sea. One video, shared by the Chinese military´s Southern Theatre Command, showed jets taking off and firing missiles that then struck targets.

Neither state media nor the military said when the footage was taken, only that it took place recently. But its release came a day after China announced a deployment of its navy and air force in the South China Sea on Wednesday and Thursday.

The drills coincided with an two-day exercise by the US and the Philippines in the disputed waters, involving an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson.

The US said the drills would “enhance our ability to coordinate on maritime domain awareness and other shared security interests”.