Chinese Navy has conducted combat drills in the Sea of Japan.

The Chinese military exercise, which began on Thursday, was staged in the international waters near the Sea of Japan, Chinese state media reported. Warships from the Chinese Navy's Donghai Fleet participated in the drills.

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"One fleet included the missile destroyer Xi'an, missile frigate Hengshui and supply ship Gaoyouhu. Al of the three have just wrapped the Rim of the Pacific 2016 (RIMPAC 2016) multinational naval exercise," a naval source told Xinhua. "Foreign aircraft attempted surveillance during the drill and were met with the proper response from the Chinese warships."

The Chinese Navy also made it clear that the drills were part of "routine" naval exercises and conducted in accordance with international law.

The People Liberation Army (PLA)'s drills in the Sea of Japan come at a time when tensions between China and Japan have been heightened over the East China Sea dispute.

China recently released a video showing Chinese vessels'intruding into its territorial waters surrounding the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. Japan, China, and Taiwan have competing claims of ownership of the Senkaku Islands. The uninhabited islands are currently under the control of Japan.  Tokyo is reportedly working on a plan to deploy a land to sea missile to the disputed islands in the wake of the growing Chinese aggression in the disputed waters.

China, Japan, and Korea are planning to hold a high-level diplomatic dialogue in the wake of heightened tensions in the region. "At present, the three parties are in consultations about the exact date of the meeting," the Chinese foreign ministry said on Thursday. 

Tagschina, Japan, Sea of Japan, China Navy, Combat Drills, East China Sea