China Launches Massive Military Drills "In Preparation For War" | Zero Hedge
Description: "Air Force exercises are rehearsals for future wars and are the most direct preparation for war," the Chinese Air Force said on its Weibo account on Sunday. "The South China Sea and East China Sea will be primary battlegrounds."

Skip to main content

## Opinion: Sarkozy Indicted For Corruption, As Clinton Cabal Crumbles

by Elizabeth Lea Vos - Mar 24, 2018 5:09 pm

It seems as if some measure of bad karma has finally come to haunt the friends of Hillary Clinton.

## Open Source is Tech’s Explosive Organic Movement

by TDB - Mar 24, 2018 2:07 pm

From food justice and free Internet to politics and water rights, the onus is on us to shape the future we want to become reality.

## ZUCK 2020

by williambanzai7 - Mar 24, 2018 8:12 am

May 14, 1984--No you can't make this $hit up...

# China Launches Massive Military Drills "In Preparation For War"

Just hours after the latest close military encounter between the US and China, when the US navy sailed a destroyer to within 12 nautical miles of the contested Spratly Islands in the South China Sea as a "freedom of navigation" operation - a move that China condemned as a "severe provocation" just as the two countries launched an all-out trade war - the Chinese military launched its spring combat readiness drills with an air force exercise in the West Pacific and a joint combat patrol mission in the South China Sea.

The air force drills include H-6K bombers and Su-30 and Su-35 fighters, according to the PLA , and have a simple, if clear, purpose: "Air Force exercises are rehearsals for future wars and are the most direct preparation for war," the Chinese Air Force said on its Weibo account on Sunday, according to Reuters.

"The more exercises China practices far from its shores the better it will be positioned as an important force for managing and controlling crises, containing war and winning battles", it added.

A Chinese Su-35

Additionally, the PLA Navy is holding drills in the South China Sea to test the navy's combat readiness, China Central Television reported on Friday. It quoted the PLA Navy as saying the drills are routine and do not target any country, although the message had one clear recipient: USA.

"The South China Sea and East China Sea will be primary battlegrounds. The PLA is committed to be battle-ready through simulated combat training," Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Sunday.

"The 2018 drills will be routine and will be held every month, unlike in previous years," Song said, adding that drills were usually held in spring and autumn.

The Global Times reported that "the drills come as the situation in the South China Sea stabilizes." However, the Chinese state-owned nationalist paper added that "some nations are still trying to stir up regional disputes, Wang Xiaopeng, a maritime border expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday."

> Although the drills do not target any specific country, they are focused on enhancing China's capability to safeguard the country's sovereignty, Wang said.

> News of the drills comes a day after the USS Mustin came within 12 nautical miles of Meiji Reef in the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, has urged the army at all levels to enhance military training oriented to combat readiness and to put military training at a strategic position and as the central work with effective results, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Xi called on the armed forces to enhance targeted and adversarial training, improve actual combat ability, and firmly grasp the capability to win battles.

The Air Force even released a photo of a Su-30 fighter jet on Sino Weibo during its drills. The caption read, "It's spring time. Let's spread the wings across the ocean." By releasing the photo, the PLA Air Force demonstrated its confidence in the open-sea training and the use of weapons, Song said.

The routine military drills in 2018 will focus more on the use of high-end weapons, especially in an electromagnetic environment, as well as on combined forces training, Song added.

As a strategic force, the air force has extended its activities from inland to the deep ocean, it said on Weibo. The air force has become a key force in shaping situations, controlling crises, constraining wars and winning battles, it said.

And so with the US and China already engaged in escalating trade war, it appears that Beijing is preparing for the next step.

Tags
Politics
War Conflict
Television Broadcasting

## Comments

Sort by
Order
Items per page
Vote up!
42
Vote down!
0
New_Meat Sun, 03/25/2018 - 10:55 Permalink

has any country at any time ever done a military drill that wasn't "in preparation for war"?

Vote up!
14
Vote down!
6
D.T.Barnum New_Meat Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:00 Permalink

Tucker Carlson's awkward interview with John Bolton - YouTube

In reply to has any country at any time… by New_Meat

Vote up!
37
Vote down!
7
peopledontwanttruth D.T.Barnum Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:05 Permalink

If you were China Russia and especially Iran

Wouldn't you be preparing for war?

The jury is in, this isn't Dec 6th and they're TRYING to say they don't know where Japan's aircraft carriers are at. They all know what the USA is capable of and about to do.

They all know it's about the dollars END.

This is a madman losing his money and bullying rights

In reply to Tucker Carlson's awkward… by D.T.Barnum

Vote up!
17
Vote down!
2
Hugh_Jorgan peopledontwanttruth Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:06 Permalink

How many times in the last 2 years have we see articles with similar saber-rattling headlines? We're ALL being prepared for war...

In reply to If you were China Russia and… by peopledontwanttruth

Vote up!
14
Vote down!
0
peopledontwanttruth Hugh_Jorgan Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:14 Permalink

I agree and just like anything that's called from rain today snow. Boston to the Cubs winning the WS to the Eagles winning the SB, eventually it does happen.

There's a lot of evidence this war will happen. The nuts are truly running the asylum now. There's to much evidence and proof via the media, hacking or international spying that there's no fooling EVERYONE with propaganda.

The world has caught on

In reply to How many times in the last 2… by Hugh_Jorgan

Vote up!
18
Vote down!
3
IridiumRebel peopledontwanttruth Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:20 Permalink

I teach history. It feels like the pre-game tonthe civil war and World War One/Two packed into one decade. I suggest everyone get some insurance items from food to weapons. Don’t we all feel it?

In reply to I agree and just like… by peopledontwanttruth

Vote up!
15
Vote down!
2
BigCumulusClouds IridiumRebel Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:24 Permalink

If you are going to introduce a gold-backed currency, you better be prepared for war. Just go ask Khadafi.

In reply to I teach history. It feels… by IridiumRebel

Vote up!
6
Vote down!
31
Ramesees BigCumulusClouds Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:34 Permalink

Jesus this website has gone so far downhill. Comments are beyond conspiracy theory.

I’ll check back from time to time but reading 10cent army and Putintrolls talking about Russia (which is literally dying 😂🤣😂) and China (going backwards, about to implode) is no longer useful to me.

Laterz!

In reply to If you are going to… by BigCumulusClouds

Vote up!
18
Vote down!
3
IridiumRebel Ramesees Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:42 Permalink

^^🤪nonsensical🤪^^

So lay out the argument smart guy.

Do you have backing on these claims?

I’d say California using sanctuary cities is much like the Nullification Crisis and the build up of militaries resembles Meiji Japan and others.

this is called evidence

do you have any?

In reply to Jesus this website has gone… by Ramesees

Vote up!
5
Vote down!
2
peopledontwanttruth IridiumRebel Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:50 Permalink

Maybe he's a drive by poster. Good argument

In reply to So lay out the argument… by IridiumRebel

Vote up!
8
Vote down!
0
Baron von Bud peopledontwanttruth Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:59 Permalink

The South China Sea is the ideal place for America to learn to stay the f#$k out of other nations' business. Let China, Philippines, Brunei, and Malaysia sort it out or shoot it out among themselves. Otherwise, some US ships will get sunk, John Bolton will scream for war, and Russia's automated nuke subs will submerge America's east coast up to 400 miles inland with radioactive cobalt. Easy choice to make unless you're insane.

In reply to Maybe he's a drive by poster… by peopledontwanttruth

Vote up!
1
Vote down!
3
beepbop Baron von Bud Sun, 03/25/2018 - 12:07 Permalink

DO NOT unleash the DEMONS OF WAR!

In reply to The South China Sea is the… by Baron von Bud

Vote up!
1
Vote down!
0
house biscuit beepbop Sun, 03/25/2018 - 12:44 Permalink

What's wrong spam lady, used cars not selling today?

The demons of war are already here

Some reasonable people say WWIII is underway: silent weapons being used to wage a quiet war

As the legend goes, instead of bullets, TPTB are firing scenarios & hoaxes

Instead of bombs, there are false flags & central bank collusion

If the end result is the slow genocide of a people, a culture & a way of life, does the delivery method matter?

In reply to DO NOT unleash the DEMONS OF… by beepbop

Vote up!
0
Vote down!
0
Normalcy Bias IridiumRebel Sun, 03/25/2018 - 12:40 Permalink

Libtards/Globalists/RINOs can never win an open debate, hence the current all out push to eliminate Free Speech.

In reply to So lay out the argument… by IridiumRebel

Vote up!
0
Vote down!
0
Normalcy Bias IridiumRebel Sun, 03/25/2018 - 12:40 Permalink

dbl post

In reply to So lay out the argument… by IridiumRebel

Vote up!
1
Vote down!
0
monk27 Ramesees Sun, 03/25/2018 - 12:52 Permalink

Good riddance and don't let the door hit your sensitive ass...

In reply to Jesus this website has gone… by Ramesees

Vote up!
6
Vote down!
3
Whoa Dammit BigCumulusClouds Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:36 Permalink

All China has to do is quit shipping plastic junk, meat (most of our meat is raised here but processed there) & car parts to us for 30-60 days. America will then destroy itself.

In reply to If you are going to… by BigCumulusClouds

Vote up!
4
Vote down!
2
New_Meat Whoa Dammit Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:52 Permalink

all PRC has to do is stop creating 30MM jobs/year, every year, and their middle kingdom gets itself another revolution. Like sacking of cities revolution, most of the hordes are within the wall.

It is this century's version of MAD

In reply to All China has to do is quit… by Whoa Dammit

Vote up!
2
Vote down!
0
east of eden New_Meat Sun, 03/25/2018 - 12:31 Permalink

Most of the 'hoards' are definitely 'within the wall', but not the wall you're thinking of.

In reply to all PRC has to do is stop… by New_Meat

Vote up!
9
Vote down!
0
peopledontwanttruth IridiumRebel Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:30 Permalink

I agree it can't hurt being prepared to whatever degree one can.

I do see differences with this situation like no other. That may not matter.

The use of nuclear weapons that make the two in August of 45 look like M-80s.

The completely anti God atmosphere so prevalent among people with no regard for life, the law of nature and decency Where pillaging will be a daily right out of the gate situation with tens of millions doing it and perhaps even the police to military leading the way

The end of money aka currency as we know it where nothing you have of value will really have a value

Were not in Kansas anymore Toto

In reply to I teach history. It feels… by IridiumRebel

Vote up!
2
Vote down!
1
Four Star peopledontwanttruth Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:32 Permalink

The military equipment of the world's largest militaries:

http://thesoundingline.com/chart-of-the-day-russia-has-over-20000-tanks…

In reply to I agree it can't hurt being… by peopledontwanttruth

Vote up!
7
Vote down!
0
DownWithYogaPants Four Star Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:37 Permalink

"All out trade war" ???? Give me a fucking break.

In reply to The military equipment of… by Four Star

Vote up!
2
Vote down!
0
peopledontwanttruth Four Star Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:49 Permalink

Interesting site.

In reply to The military equipment of… by Four Star

Vote up!
0
Vote down!
0
Evreman Four Star Sun, 03/25/2018 - 12:50 Permalink

Hmmmm...what is Italy even doing on that 'Combat' Tank list?

The spring-loaded high-vis white flags and 4 high-speed reverse gears (mated to 2 fwd gears) on all 406 of their so-called 'tanks' should have disqualified their inclusion.

In reply to The military equipment of… by Four Star

Vote up!
2
Vote down!
0
Sabibaby IridiumRebel Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:38 Permalink

Been holding gold and BAGS of silver and since 2006, at least the gold appreciated. Guns appreciated too but all of it takes up too much space. Back then it was Peak Oil, Petro-Dollar collapse, Greatest Depression, WWIII, now it's China -which I fully believe to be the end game but it will be very slow, like after I'm dead.

Convinced myself hold onto the numismatic coins Panda/Kukaburra/Mapple Leaf/Philharmonic/Kugerrand and ditch the rest when the silver hits triple digits but it may not be in my lifetime...

"stocking up" was hobby now it's a hassle.

In reply to I teach history. It feels… by IridiumRebel

Vote up!
0
Vote down!
0
jmack Sabibaby Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:57 Permalink

melt the silver you dont want, mold it into crosses, then market it to the vampire crazed zombies, or mold it into chintzy pirate rings a la johnny deps rings on pirates of the carribean and sell it to art show booth dealers or online. should get a mark up that at least pays for the spread, if you didnt buy it up above $30 per ounce at least.

In reply to Been holding gold and BAGS… by Sabibaby

Vote up!
2
Vote down!
0
IridiumRebel jmack Sun, 03/25/2018 - 12:03 Permalink

Silver has a ratio to gold at about 85:1

totally normal

totally rational

totally with historical ratios

/s

In reply to melt the silver you dont… by jmack

Vote up!
0
Vote down!
0
east of eden Sabibaby Sun, 03/25/2018 - 12:49 Permalink

Yep, agreed. Did some 'nuke mapping' yesterday and aside from storing some blankets and water in my car, having national cash on hand, plus a little gold an silver, in case of a nuclear attack, my best option would be to just get in my car and drive as fast as I can, west. Even considering a 800KT hit on my home city, I only need to get 6 km west to be outside the 'burn zone'. What happens with the pressure wave is anybody's guess. I suppose it would depend on whether it was a surface detonation or an air detonation. Maybe me and my car will end up on the top of someone's roof, if I'm lucky.

Whatever happens after that, who knows.

In reply to Been holding gold and BAGS… by Sabibaby

Vote up!
1
Vote down!
0
TheFederalistPapers IridiumRebel Sun, 03/25/2018 - 12:35 Permalink

Unfortunately, agreed... 1935-7?

In reply to I teach history. It feels… by IridiumRebel

Vote up!
0
Vote down!
0
HRClinton peopledontwanttruth Sun, 03/25/2018 - 13:13 Permalink

True, but it goes deeper than that: if the USD loses its GRC status, then beloved Israel will no longer have unlimited funds. And anything can happen after that.

That is the real fear of all the DualCitizens and Israel Firsters in the US and UK.

(The US itself will be fine, after a period of adaption.)

Got clarity? Got perspective? Try to keep it when others aren't.

In reply to If you were China Russia and… by peopledontwanttruth

Vote up!
11
Vote down!
0
JRobby D.T.Barnum Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:07 Permalink

The "Elite" scurrying to their southern hemisphere bunkers. Will it be far enough away? Probably not.

We will find the bunkers and fill the air scrubbing snorkels in with concrete. When they emerge, they are cut to pieces with high caliber machine gun fire. There's yer gun control bitchez!

In reply to Tucker Carlson's awkward… by D.T.Barnum

Vote up!
1
Vote down!
0
BlindMonkey JRobby Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:58 Permalink

I like where you're head's at.

In reply to The "Elite" scurrying to… by JRobby

Vote up!
5
Vote down!
3
MoralsAreEssential D.T.Barnum Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:12 Permalink

This interview confirms EVERYTHING that is distorted, backs the Con Job the Bushes sold to the American people and the total backing for Chabbadist Zionists controlling Israhell. I'm wondering if Trump is trying to use Bolton for "master plan" or chess move reasons, I'm really wondering if this guy would accept being Fired?

In reply to Tucker Carlson's awkward… by D.T.Barnum

Vote up!
8
Vote down!
3
D.T.Barnum MoralsAreEssential Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:14 Permalink

I wouldn't be surprised if Tuck commits suicide via nailgun after that interview. Something to watch out for. The treasonous traitor war criminal looked pissed.

In reply to This interview confirms… by MoralsAreEssential

Vote up!
0
Vote down!
0
east of eden MoralsAreEssential Sun, 03/25/2018 - 12:57 Permalink

Well, so far, he is either (1) very lucky or (2) a lot more clever than anyone yet realizes.

But the idea of wading into a swamp full of gators and boa constrictors is not my idea of a good plan.

In reply to This interview confirms… by MoralsAreEssential

Vote up!
3
Vote down!
1
Deep Snorkeler D.T.Barnum Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:52 Permalink

America, Toward Its Predictable Endpoint

The opiate children of StuporNation get ready

for another in a long series of dumb wars.

The coming war is lost before it starts.

Trumptastrophes all in a line.

In reply to Tucker Carlson's awkward… by D.T.Barnum

Vote up!
3
Vote down!
0
cossack55 New_Meat Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:01 Permalink

France

In reply to has any country at any time… by New_Meat

Vote up!
3
Vote down!
7
52821740 cossack55 Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:16 Permalink

The UN International court has already ruled against China's outrageous thievery in the Spratlys.

There should be a international sanctions or military action against them. Fuck off China !

In reply to France by cossack55

Vote up!
1
Vote down!
0
New_Meat cossack55 Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:53 Permalink

I stand corrected ;-)

In reply to France by cossack55

Vote up!
10
Vote down!
0
Jack Oliver New_Meat Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:36 Permalink

China are actually preparing for the FUCKING reaction to their launching of the Petro Yuan TOMORROW !!!

In reply to has any country at any time… by New_Meat

Vote up!
3
Vote down!
0
Justin Case New_Meat Sun, 03/25/2018 - 12:18 Permalink

has any country at any time ever done a military drill that wasn't "in preparation for war"?

murica has been doing this all over the world. Little wonder Russia has been preparing for many years against the aggressors in EU and ZATO's continuous expansion in Europe. The hypocrites in DC run around with their finger up their ass pointing at Russia as "a threat" and "aggressor" going to invade and take over Europe. Full support by the presstitues, scaring the majority of the brain dead sheep in murica.

The murican military is way behind in technology. They can't build fighter planes that can even fly, ships that can sail out of the harbor without mechanical failures. The kids enrolling in the military are useless, gender confused, over weight, and under educated, generally from of the bottom of the barrel of society. No job, no education, no future, join the army.

Tax payers didn't get their money's worth from the MIC, which is actually just a tax payer money laundering scheme for the oligarchs. Compare global budgets that countries spend on military compared to murica and what they have for tax payers coin. Woar is the final solution for the dying empire.

In reply to has any country at any time… by New_Meat

Vote up!
0
Vote down!
0
Pernicious Gol… New_Meat Sun, 03/25/2018 - 12:38 Permalink

Most publicized military drills are messages, not rehearsals.

In reply to has any country at any time… by New_Meat

Vote up!
4
Vote down!
1
Labworks Sun, 03/25/2018 - 10:58 Permalink

i'm getting forced to take a job i don't want..i don't get along with the employer...please china start nuking already..get me out of this situation

Vote up!
5
Vote down!
1
Savvy Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:00 Permalink

Preparing to take back Taiwan while the US goes after Iran and/or Syria?

Bolton wasn't hired to play nice.

Vote up!
11
Vote down!
3
D.T.Barnum Savvy Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:02 Permalink

Goldman Sachs, the Likud, and the Chabad run the white-house. If someone is ok with that, then that's that. But, don't deny it; that's just retarded.

In reply to Preparing to take back… by Savvy

Vote up!
9
Vote down!
1
FreeShitter Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:01 Permalink

"When all else fails.....they take you to war"

Vote up!
9
Vote down!
1
D.T.Barnum FreeShitter Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:09 Permalink

I was just thinking how people think "American Idol" or "The Voice" is such a great opportunity for musicians, but it's really just a control mechanism to subvert and pervert all the talent of the world. They get your claws in you, indoctrinate you into the bilderberger CFR freemasonic type of crowd, control you, own you, mk ultra you, whatever. Make sure you are on board with the globalist neo-liberal agenda.

They can't have a peacocking powerhouse guitarist like Jimi be out there on his own, speaking out against bombing poor people in huts. It's all just part of the matrix. They don't just have a monopoly on the medium of exchange, they have a monopoly on musical talent; and music is (well, could be anyway) a very, very powerful (even magical) tool to communicate and bring people together for something positive.

Machine Gun (Live) (1997 Digital Remaster) - YouTube

In reply to "When all else fails… by FreeShitter

Vote up!
8
Vote down!
0
americanreality D.T.Barnum Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:25 Permalink

The deep state learned from the 60s movements that you need to control the music industry. Same as our "news" readers. Rock the boat and you're done. Dixie Chicks found that out for daring to question the wisdom of invading Iraq.

In reply to I was just thinking how… by D.T.Barnum

Vote up!
9
Vote down!
1
roadhazard Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:02 Permalink

Those islands are a good place for a limited war. The Chinese fight with a shorter supply line. The US is always spending money on the military like WW2 never stopped. China has to decide if they can fight a with war no US consumers.

Vote up!
12
Vote down!
0
peopledontwanttruth roadhazard Sun, 03/25/2018 - 11:10 Permalink

They've all painted themselves into a corner for the most part.

Iran though has been pretty much isolated since 79, has some of the largest reserves on the planet and has survived. When the world kicks the dollar to the curb Iran will show them how it's done.

Russia likewise has their banking set up to not need the SWIFT program and green toilet paper.

In reply to Those islands are a good… by roadhazard

## User login

Username
Password

- Create new account
- Reset your password

Sort by

# ZeroHedge Search

## New Comments

Loading...

## Today's Top Stories

Loading...

## Contact Information

Tips: tips@zerohedge.com

General: info@zerohedge.com

Legal: legal@zerohedge.com

Advertising: ads@zerohedge.com

Abuse/Complaints: abuse@zerohedge.com

Advertise With Us

## Suggested Reading

Make sure to read our "How To [Read/Tip Off] Zero Hedge Without Attracting The Interest Of [Human Resources/The Treasury/Black Helicopters]" Guide

It would be very wise of you to study our disclaimer, our privacy policy and our (non)policy on conflicts / full disclosure. Here's our Cookie Policy.

How to report offensive comments

Notice on Racial Discrimination.