PLA to hold South China Sea exercise ahead of ruling

A formation of the Nanhai Fleet of China's Navy on Saturday finished a three-day patrol of the Nansha islands in the South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua]

The People's Liberation Army will start military exercises in a designated area in the South China Sea from Tuesday to July 11, ahead of a planned ruling by an arbitral tribunal in the Hague this month.

According to a navigation alert issued by the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration on Sunday, entry of ships will be prohibited, and the alert stated coordinates of the designated area for the exercises.

The Associated Press observed that the exercise area covers China's Xisha Islands.

The Philippines sought unilateral arbitral proceedings under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in 2013.

Despite Beijing's unchanged objection to the arbitration, the arbitral tribunal was established and registered at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague. The PCA announced last month that the tribunal will issue its finding on July 12.