Amid the ongoing dispute between China and the U.S. in the South China Sea, the Chinese Navy has been ramping up its military capabilities in the area.

Just this week, a group of Chinese J-15 fighter jet pilots completed training as China continues to build up its aircraft carrier force. According to state news media, China's carrier force had significantly increased its fighting capacity, fitting more fighters on a carrier, with more flights handled by each carrier.

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According to China's PLA Daily, the official newspaper of the People's Liberation Army, the carrier-borne takeoff and landing advancement demonstrates a major breakthrough in real applications. The military did not reveal the number of newly trained pilots.

And just last week, the Chinese military conducted a large-scale combat exercise on in the South China Sea, mobilizing forces from each of its three fleets, according to the Navy. In conducting a simulation of modern sea warfare, China incorporated guided missile destroyers, frigates, submarines, early-warning aircraft and fighter jets. The units came from the Navy's North Sea, East Sea and South Sea fleets, according to a statement from the Chinese Navy.

Rear Admiral Li Xiaoyan, deputy chief of staff of the South Sea Fleet, said such drills can improve the Navy's combat readiness and operational capabilities.

It  was the second large joint exercise conducted by the PLA Navy during the past month. In mid-November, China deployed combat ships and submarines from the three fleets South China Sea to conduct a counter-submarine drill.

China's ramping up of combat drills and exercises comes on the heels of an announcement made by the U.S. earlier in December that it would sell $1.8 billion worth of military hardware to Taiwan. It also comes just a week after China accused the U.S. of a "serious military provocation" when two od its B-52  bombers over the area near the contested Spratly Islands.

TagsChina Prepares for South China Sea Conflict, PLA Daily