South China Sea Latest News: Beijing Holds Military Drills, Shuts Down Major Shipping Route

Flexing its perceived authority and potentially disrupting global trade, China will reportedly run military drills in the South China Sea Thursday and has ordered all shipping to keep its distance, Reuters reported Wednesday.

The announcement came from China’s maritime safety administration and comes on the heels and likely in response to the United States sailing one of its naval destroyers last week near the Paracel Islands, located smack in the middle of the South China Sea.