China will hold naval exercises in the South China Sea on Saturday, its maritime authority said, after a week of accusations from the United States and its allies over its military ambitions in the Asia-Pacific.
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The maneuvers will take place in the immediate vicinity of the Chinese coast, in a small maritime space located far from the disputed areas with Vietnam and the Philippines.
“
Military exercises will take place and the area is prohibited
,” the Maritime Security Administration said on Thursday, publishing the coordinates of the area in question.
American concern
This area is located about 25 kilometers south of Hainan Island (south) and measures about 100 square kilometers.
China regularly organizes naval exercises, often near its coasts.
Maneuvers in another maritime area, also near Hainan, are thus planned for next week.
The United States, which sees China as a strategic rival, regularly warns of Beijing's growing military and economic presence in an area that stretches from the South China Sea to the Pacific Islands.
This presence would be, according to them, a strategy to modify the balance of forces in the region.
"
Beijing has engaged in increasingly provocative rhetoric and activities, such as flying planes... near Taiwan
" almost daily, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday.
Activities “increasingly provocative”
He was referring to military aircraft passing through the island's Air Defense Identification Zone ("
Adiz
," by its acronym in English) -- in places usually at least 150 km away from Taiwan's shores.
Antony Blinken also called on Thursday to thwart "
China's intention to reshape the international order
".
Antony Blinken's comments follow US President Joe Biden's pledge this week to defend Taiwan should the island be attacked by Beijing.
In response, Chinese diplomacy called on the United States not to "
underestimate
" China 's "
determination
" to defend its sovereignty.
China has also just launched a vast initiative aimed at extending cooperation in terms of security and free trade with the countries of the South Pacific, already decried by Australia, an ally of the United States.
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This agreement "
is not imposed on anyone, it does not target any third party, there is no intention at all to establish a military base
", retorted the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi.