China has launched a new series of large-scale military exercises across multiple maritime zones this week, including the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, effectively closing off critical stretches of water to civilian traffic during the drills.
According to navigation warnings issued by China’s Maritime Safety Administration (MSA), the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) began live-fire shooting exercises and other military operations on April 9, with additional activity planned for April 11. Notices specify that entry into designated zones is prohibited during the stated times.
In the Bohai Sea, drills are scheduled across several areas near the coasts of Liaoning and Shandong provinces. One of the restricted zones encompasses coordinates between 38°39.10’N, 120°30.37’E and 38°30.73’N, 120°42.00’E, running from 1800 UTC on April 8 until 0400 UTC on April 9. Additional exercises in the region will continue until April 16.
The Yellow Sea, bordering the Korean Peninsula, will see its own restricted zone between coordinates including 38°23.58’N, 122°59.75’E and 38°11.87’N, 123°22.07’E. The MSA said entry into this area is banned during the period from 1800 UTC on April 8 to 0400 UTC on April 9.
Further south, the Guangdong MSA has issued warnings for two separate gun-firing exercises in the South China Sea. The first takes place April 9 between 0000 and 0800 UTC, followed by a second on April 11 during the same time window. Both restricted zones lie near the contested waters off southern China’s coast.
The Ministry of National Defense has not issued a public statement on the intent or scope of the drills. However, the timing of the exercises coincides with rising regional tensions over Taiwan and recent comments by U.S. officials emphasizing deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.
While such exercises are not uncommon, the simultaneous closure of key areas in all three seas is notable for its breadth. China’s military has increasingly used these drills to refine joint-force operations, logistics, and rapid deployment under realistic combat conditions.