Chinese Shandong aircraft carrier group holds drills in the South China Sea

Isa Khan · May 7, 2021

An aircraft carrier battle group headed by the Chinese naval aircraft carrier Shandong conducted training in relevant waters of the South China Sea last week.

The spokesperson said that it was a routine training exercise within the annual work plan of the PLA Navy and completely legitimate. The maritime training was conducive to improving the ability to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and to maintaining regional peace and stability, Gao outlined.

“We hope the outside world can view [the Shandong’s exercise] objectively and rationally. The PLA Navy will continue to organize similar exercises according to the plan regularly in the future,” Gao added.

The drill is a regular series of exercises organized based on the annual work schedule, and is fully legitimate and legal, Gao said, noting that it will contribute to boosting the service’s capability to safeguard China’s sovereignty, security and development interests as well as regional peace and stability.

This is the first time the Shandong has embarked on exercises made aware to the general public in 2021.

PLA Navy’s another carrier group, Liaoning, recently conducted routine drills and training in waters around Taiwan and related waters in the South China Sea.