BEIJING: The Chinese military on Thursday held its largest ever maritimedrill in the disputed South China Sealink> during which itdisplayed for the first time the country’s aircraft carrier strike groupand the most advance weaponry of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).President Xi Jinping link>,also the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China CentralCommittee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), reviewedthe drill and addressed the sailors, PLA Daily reported.

CMC is the overall high command of the 2-million strong Chinese military.

Forty-eight warships, 76 aircraft and more than 10,000 sailors and soldierstook part in the drill which was hailed as “the biggest maritime militaryparade since the foundation of the new China and a heroic display of the PLANavy link> in the new era,” the PLADaily reported today.

The drill was held amid frequent forays made by US naval and aircraftlink>into the SouthChina Sea to assert the freedom of navigation especially around theartificial islands built by China, where it has also established garrisons.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, Philippines,Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the area.

It was the first maritime military parade held in the South China Sea andto be open to the public, state-run Global Times reported.

The PLA’s previous four maritime parades were held in Beihai. China’saircraft carrier, Liaoning joined the parade for the first time.

All combat systems of the PLA Navy and 10 air echelons joined the parade.

“The most advanced weaponry, including the Liaoning, type 052D destroyers,type 052C destroyers, type 071 amphibious transport dock and type 093submarine all appeared on South China Sea,” Song Zhongping, a militaryexpert and TV commentator, told the Global Times.

The parade showcased the PLA’s aircraft carrier group and its enhancedcombat capability in the high seas, Song said, adding that China’s upgradednavy signifies the PLA is not afraid of war and is capable of winning anybattle.

“China’s strength in protecting its national maritime interest has grown.The Thursday parade could also serve as deterrence to maritime hegemony,making adversaries think twice before attempting to harm China’s corenational interests,” Song said.