The Chinese-controlled artificial island of Mischief reef in the South China Sea, as seen by CNN from a US reconnaissance plane on August 10, 2018. There is no reason for Chinese companies and individuals to participate in relevant illegal sanctions in their own country," said Zhao. Home to vital shipping lanes, the South China Sea is widely deemed as a potential flashpoint for military conflicts between the US and China. Last month, the US Navy staged exercises involving two aircraft carrier strike groups in the South China Sea -- the first time it had done so in six years. This week, China launched three military exercises on Monday alone in Pacific waters, from the South China Sea in the south to the Bohai Sea in the north.

Source: CNN August 27, 2020 07:41 UTC