China, following the US-Japanese exercises near Taiwan, tested the combat readiness of its navy

The Chinese Navy checked the combat readiness of the fleet – ships of three teams conducted tests in the East China, South China and Yellow Seas. This is reported by the South China Morning Post. The maneuvers took place on 9 February.

Combat exercises were held in the East China Sea to improve air defense and maneuverability, as well as combat tests of the main guns. Three destroyers took part in the exercises, including the Type 052D Xiamen, which is more advanced than its predecessors.

In the South China Sea, the Type 903 supply ship Weishanhu and the hospital ship Youai were tested for their readiness to operate in combat conditions – search and rescue, resupply and live fire exercises.

A major rescue exercise took place in the Yellow Sea, including a search and rescue operation involving a burning ship.

The Chinese Navy exercises took place two days after the United States and Japan completed their five-day Noble Fusion 2022. Led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, about 15,000 American sailors and marines, as well as 1,000 representatives of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, held exercises along a strategic chain of islands near Taiwan.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held bilateral talks in Beijing. They adopted a joint statement in which, among other things, they criticized the policies of the West. China also supported Russia’s demands for “security guarantees”. Among other things, the statement said that Russia considers Taiwan an integral part of China and opposes the independence of the island in any form, which caused discontent in Taiwan. The Thai authorities have indicated that Beijing has no right to represent Taiwan at the international level and should not force other countries, as well as international organizations and international companies, against their will and facts, to make “false comments” using the “one China principle”.