China announces South China Sea military exercises

FILE - In this July 8, 2016, file photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese missile frigate Yuncheng launches an anti-ship missile during a military exercise in the waters near south China's Hainan Island and Paracel Islands. China said Monday, July 18, 2016, 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. Hainan's maritime administration said an area southeast of the island province would be closed from Monday to Thursday, but gave no details about the nature of the exercises. (Zha Chunming/Xinhua via AP, File) (The Associated Press)

prev next

In this July, 13, 2016 photo released by Xinhua News Agency, pilots place Chinese national flags on the cockpit window of China Southern Airlines' passenger jet after it successfully test landed at an airport on the Meiji reef of the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea. China said Monday, July 18, 2016, 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. (Chen Yichen/Xinhua via AP) (The Associated Press)

A navy honor guard prepares for a welcome ceremony for U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson at the Chinese Navy Headquarters in Beijing, Monday, July 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, Pool) (The Associated Press)

BEIJING – China says it is closing off a part of the South China Sea for military exercises this week, days after the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled against Beijing's claim to ownership of virtually the entire strategic waterway.

The maritime administration of Hainan province said Monday that an area southeast of the island would be closed until Thursday but gave no details about the nature of the exercises.

China rejected the tribunal's ruling in the case initiated by the Philippines and refused to take part in the arbitration. The tribunal ruled that China violated international maritime law by building up artificial islands that destroyed coral reefs and by disrupting fishing and oil exploration.

Six governments in all claim territory in the South China Sea.