Navy begins drills to heighten readiness

The Chinese Navy began a three-day series of exercises in the South China Sea on Wednesday, the Maritime Safety Administration said.

It released the coordinates of the drill zone - a rectangular area off Hainan province's southern coast - on its website on Tuesday, asking ships to stay out of the area.

The information sparked a wave of speculation among Chinese military enthusiasts who, since last month, have been talking on internet forums about the possibility of a large display of the Navy's best ships and submarines in the South China Sea. Some fans also posted what they claimed were satellite images of a vast armada of Chinese ships, including the CNS Liaoning aircraft carrier, gathering recently in the South China Sea area.