Briefcase 1 China's coast guard launched live-firing exercises in the Tonkin Gulf2 The Maritime Safety Administration said ships and boats were barred from the area3 Beijing didn't say who the latest military drills were targetingChina's coast guard launched live-firing exercises in the Tonkin Gulf on Monday, the latest in a series of military drills that come amid renewed tensions among disputants to territory in the South China Sea . China's navy and air force have held a series of drills in surrounding waters since an international arbitration panel issued a ruling last month invalidating China's claim to virtually the entire South China Sea. On Sunday, China said its planes and ships held war games in the Sea of Japan last week, during which it deployed its latest-generation frigate. Beijing didn't say who the latest military drills were targeting or why the Sea of Japan was chosen as the location. China also plans joint naval exercises with Russia in the South China Sea next month in a move criticized by the U.S. as harming regional stability.

Source: India Today August 22, 2016 04:41 UTC