Oman on Saturday reaffirmed it commitment to continuing its efforts aimed at safeguarding navigation at the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking at the ongoing General Debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al-Busaidi restated his country's pledge, and called upon all parties to cooperate with Oman in these efforts aimed at safeguarding the interests of all parties relying on transit through the strait. On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Iran's capital Tehran and other cities. Iran has since tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.
Persistent navigation disruptions at the strait are severely affecting crude oil exports of the region.
On August 25, Iran and Oman issued a joint statement announcing their intention to establish a temporary joint shipping corridor in the strait. The two sides also emphasized the need to consult with other countries in the Gulf region, comply with applicable international law, and respect the sovereign rights of coastal states.
Oman reaffirms commitment to safeguarding Hormuz navigation at UNGA General Debate
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command on Sunday organized joint air-sea exercises in the waters and airspace around the Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea, while the China Coast Guard (CCG) conducted rights-protection and law-enforcement drills with multiple vessels, in what experts called an actual-combat test of military and coast guard readiness.
Experts stated that by staging the exercises on the last day of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday - a traditional occasion for family reunions when most people are off duty - the PLA and the CCG demonstrated that they remain vigilant around the clock.
"Our choice of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday season as the occasion to carry out the exercises actually reflects the fact that our military and coast guard have long maintained a high state of combat readiness. Our coast guard and the PLA are ready for battle at all times and can shift to actual combat at any moment," said Yang Xiao, a researcher at the Institute for Peace and Development under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The Southern Theater Command exercises featured combat-oriented drills including reconnaissance and early warning, rapid maneuver, and joint search and rescue, designed to test the participating troops' air-sea coordination, rapid support, and system-based combat capabilities.
The CCG drills included boarding inspection, intercepting intrusions and forced towing. Law enforcement ships of different tonnage and types coordinated their operations, with multiple subjects carried out in joint actions.
"The military mainly provides overall situational awareness and plays a strategic deterrence role, offering strong backing and support for the entire operation. The coast guard, meanwhile, leverages its advantage as the maritime law-enforcement body, focusing on routine law enforcement and handling situations. In this way, we achieve everything from strategic high-pressure deterrence and overwatch to precise tactical law enforcement and response," said Zhang Chi, professor, National Defense University of the PLA .
"In terms of equipment, the exercises and drills include a range of advanced air and maritime assets. They enable us to maintain real-time awareness of the situation in the surrounding sea and airspace, conduct three-dimensional reconnaissance and battlefield control, and ensure that the other side's provocative actions have nowhere to hide, always remaining firmly under our control," Zhang said.
Drills near Huangyan Dao actual-combat test for PLA, coast guard readiness: experts
