China and Russia will hold "routine" naval exercises in the South China Sea in September, China's Defense Ministry said yesterday, adding that the drills were aimed at strengthening their cooperation and were not aimed at any country. The exercises come at a time of heightened tension in the contested waters after an arbitration court in the Hague ruled this month that China did not have historic rights to the South China Sea and criticized its environmental destruction there. China rejected the ruling and refused to participate in the case.

China, Russia to hold naval drills in South China Sea. (2016, July 29). Philippine Star, p. 18.