BEIJING (Dispatches) – China is carrying out more than a week of military drills in the South China Sea in an area between its southern province of Hainan and Vietnam, the government announced, warning shipping to stay away.

China claims a large part of the disputed waterway, on which major shipping lanes lie, and has built artificial islands and airfields on some of its reefs and islets.

In a statement late on Friday, the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration said the drills would start from the same day and last until March 15.

It provided coordinates for an area roughly halfway between Hainan’s Sanya and the Vietnamese city of Hue. Sanya is home to a major Chinese naval base.

“Entering prohibited,” it said in a Chinese and English language statement on its website.

China routinely carries out military exercises in the South China Sea.

 

‘Peaceful Taiwan Ties, 

Reunification’  

 

In another development, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has vowed to advance peaceful ties with Taiwan and “reunification,” insisting that Beijing remains committed to the “one China” precept and opposes any foreign meddling.

Speaking at the opening of the annual meeting of China’s parliament on Saturday, Li reiterated his government’s unwavering stance on the “one China” principle, which regards the self-ruled island territory as part of China.

“We will advance the peaceful growth of relations across the Taiwan Strait and the reunification of China,” Li underlined. “We firmly oppose any separatist activities seeking ‘Taiwan independence’ and firmly oppose foreign interference.”

“All of us, Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, should come together to advance the great and glorious cause of China’s rejuvenation,” he added.

Reacting to the remarks, however, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council emphasized that China should focus more on addressing what he referred to as the real concerns of its people and promoting democracy rather than “undermining international rules and order.”

“Taiwanese public opinion firmly opposes the political framework, military intimidation and diplomatic suppression imposed by China,” the council further claimed. “Democratic Taiwan is a force for regional peace and stability.”

Beijing, which regards Chinese Taipei as its own territory and does not rule out the use of force to bring the island territory under its control, has escalated its military maneuvers near the island over the past two years in response to the growing presence of U.S. warships in the area, in addition to what it views as “collusion” between Taipei and Washington, Taiwan’s principal international backer and weapons supplier.

Late last month, China denounced as “provocative” the passage of yet another U.S. warship through the strategically-sensitive Taiwan Strait, which separates the self-ruled island from mainland China. 

In a statement last Saturday, the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet claimed that Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson was conducting a “routine” transit through international waters.