Hong Kong-based Chinese warship carries out live-fire drills in South China Sea

Amidst the deteriorating relations between the United States and China, the People’s Liberation Army garrison in Hong Kong has released new footage of live-fire drills being conducted in the South China Sea. According to South China Morning Post reports, the footage shows the Hong Kong-based warship called Huizhou firing cannons and torpedoes.

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Defensive drills carried out by PLA

The footage released by the People’s Liberation Army is also reported to show military personnel carrying out anti-piracy and anti-terrorism operations. The garrison is reported to have said that the anti-submarine training was the main element of the drill.

Hong Kong has two warships based in the city, with the Huizhou being primarily used for coastal defence purposes. In addition to being armed with torpedoes, the warship is also armed with surface-to-air missiles. 

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According to reports, experts believe that the live-fire drills were mainly carried out as a show of force in order to intimidate independence-leaning forces in Taiwan as the island continues to improve its relationship with the US.

While Taiwan considers itself an independent nation, China considers it to be a part of the mainland and has vowed to reign in the island's control and bring it back under the influence of the mainland.

Meanwhile, relations between the United States and Taiwan are at a historic high. Last week saw a visit by US Health Secretary Alex Azar to the island. The event symbolised the highest-level visit to Taiwan by an American official since 1979.

Moreover, the People’s Liberation Army drill in the South China Sea took place just a day after a US strike group led by the USS Ronald Reagan carried out maritime exercises in the region.

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