BEIJING: China said on Monday that it is closing off a part of the
South China Sea for military exercises this week, days after an international tribunal ruled against Beijing's claim to ownership of virtually the entire strategic waterway.
An area off the east coast of China's island province of Hainan will host military exercises from Tuesday to Thursday, China's maritime administration said on its website, adding that entrance was "prohibited".
The area of sea identified is some distance from the Paracel islands and even further from the Spratlys, with both chains claimed by Beijing and several other neighbouring states.
The announcement came in the middle of a three-day visit to China by the US Navy's top admiral to discuss the
South China Sea dispute and ways to increase interactions between the two militaries.
Chief of naval operations Admiral John Richardson is meeting with China's navy commander, Admiral Wu Shengli, during his trip to Beijing and the port city of Qingdao that began on Sunday. He is also scheduled to visit the navy's submarine academy, tour china's first aircraft carrier and discuss ongoing Rim of the Pacific military drills.
China rejected last Tuesday's ruling by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration in a case initiated by the Philippines, and refused to take part in the arbitration. It has responded by asserting that islands in the South China Sea are "China's inherent territory," and says it could declare an air defense identification zone over the waters if it felt threatened.
In a further show of defiance, Beijing followed the ruling by landing two civilian aircraft on new airstrips on disputed Mischief and Subi reefs and dispatched its coast guard to block a Philippine fishing boat from reaching a contested shoal.
Freedom of navigation patrols could end "in disaster"Freedom of navigation patrols carried out by foreign navies in the South China Sea could end "in disaster", a senior Chinese admiral has said, a warning to the United States after last week's ruling against Beijing's claims in the area.
China has refused to recognise the ruling by an arbitration court in The Hague that invalidated its vast territorial claims in the South China Sea and did not take part in the proceedings brought by the Philippines.
It has reacted angrily to calls by Western countries and Japan for the decision to be adhered to.
China has repeatedly blamed the United States for stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually.
China, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam all have rival claims, of which China's are the largest.
The United States has conducted freedom of navigation patrols close to Chinese-held islands, to Beijing's anger, while China has been bolstering its military presence there.
Speaking behind closed doors at a forum in Beijing on Saturday evening, Sun Jianguo, an admiral and Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff Department of the powerful Central Military Commission, said the freedom of navigation issue was a bogus one that certain countries repeatedly hyped up.
"When has freedom of navigation in the South China Sea ever been affected? It has not, whether in the past or now, and in the future there won't be a problem as long as nobody plays tricks," he said, according to a transcript of his comments seen by Reuters on Monday.
China is the biggest beneficiary of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and won't let anybody damage it, Sun said.
"But China consistently opposes so-called military freedom of navigation which brings with it a military threat, and which challenges and disrespects the international law of the sea," Sun said.
"This kind of military freedom of navigation is damaging to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, and it could even play out in a disastrous way," he added, without elaborating.
He said the court case at the Hague must be used by China's armed forces to improve its capabilities "so that when push comes to shove, the military can play a decisive role in the last moment to defend our national sovereignty and interests".
Philippines ready for talks after winning arbitrationPhilippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said he's ready for talks with China to try to solve their maritime dispute, after his government won an international arbitration case that challenged Beijing's vast claims.
It could be the first step toward a diplomatic solution to tensions that have been building up since China expelled Filipino fishermen from Scarborough Shoal in 2012, and constructed seven island outposts on disputed reefs.
Duterte asked former President Fidel Ramos to travel to China and start the discussions. However, the 88-year-old former leader cited his age and other commitments in suggesting he may not be up for the job.
Duterte's goal of repairing relations with China — he already talked about his desire for Chinese-financed railways — will be constricted by the tribunal's ruling, and he could face fierce opposition at home if he tries to give Beijing concessions. Philippine Solicitor General Jose Calida said the ruling will form the basis for any negotiations.
Military presence in the regionBoth China and the US have ramped up military presence in the region. At a US congressional hearing, retired Pacific commander Adm. Dennis Blair said the US should be willing to use force against China in case of "aggression" at Scarborough Shoal.
According to the Navy Times, US destroyers have been quietly stalking Scarborough Shoal and Beijing's man-made islands farther south in the Spratlys, but did not cross the 12-nautical-mile territorial limit.
Meanwhile, the People's Liberation Army Air Force published photos of its newest H-6K bombers flying over Scarborough Shoal. Chinese media also reported the first civilian flights to Mischief Reef and Subi Reef, two of the three locations where Beijing constructed airfields.