PLA Navy Destroyer flotilla execute maritime operation in South China Sea.

Amidst tensions with Vietnam, China has announced a new military exercise beginning July 1, 2020, off Xisha Islands, internationally known as Parcel Islands in the South China Sea.
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The guided-missile frigate Hengyang (Hull 568) attached to a destroyer flotilla with the navy under the PLA Southern Theater Command fires its close-in weapons system at a mock sea target during a maritime live-fire training exercise in waters of the South China Sea on June 18, 2020. (Picture source: eng.chinnmil.com.cn/Photo by Li Wei)

According to Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military expert, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has very high war preparedness in all fronts, but despite tensions, the risk of a large-scale military conflict remains very low thanks to the PLA's strength and strategic deterrence.

The guided-missile frigate Hengyang (Hull 568) attached to a destroyer flotilla with the navy under the PLA Southern Theater Command fires its main gun against mock ashore targets during a maritime live-fire training exercise in waters of the South China Sea on June 18, 2020. (Picture source: eng.chinnmil.com.cn/Photo by Li Wei)

These last years, PLA has shown its capability to maintain high combat readiness in these different regions with intensive, simultaneous military operations.

Sailors wearing anti-flash gears to inspect and repair the operating equipment during a damage control operation aboard the guided-missile frigate Hengyang (Hull 568) during a maritime training exercise conducted by a destroyer flotilla with the navy under the PLA Southern Theater Command in waters of the South China Sea on June 18, 2020. (Picture source: eng.chinnmil.com.cn/Photo by Li Wei)

Military exercises will be held in waters off the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea from Wednesday to July 5, according to a notice released by China's Maritime Safety Administration.

The Type 054A guided-missile frigate Yulin (Hull 569) and the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer Hohhot (Hull 161) attached to a destroyer flotilla with the navy under the PLA Southern Theater Command steam in a stern formation during a maritime maneuver operation in waters of the South China Sea on June 18, 2020. (Picture source: eng.chinnmil.com.cn/Photo by Li Hongming)

During the period, no vessel will be allowed to navigate within the above lines and all ships have to follow the guidance of the commanding ship on site.

The guided-missile frigate Hengyang (Hull 568) attached to a destroyer flotilla with the navy under the PLA Southern Theater Command fires chaff rounds from the decoy launching system to deploy electromagnetic smoke during a maritime live-fire training exercise in waters of the South China Sea on June 18, 2020. (Picture source: eng.chinnmil.com.cn/Photo by Li Wei)