China's DF-26 missiles (Photo: Reuters)

The Pentagon said 4 missiles have been launched since Sunday, violating China’s commitments under the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (called the East Sea in Vietnam) to avoid activities that complicate or escalate disputes or threaten peace and stability. The military exercise is the latest in a long string of actions by China to assert invalid maritime claims at the expense of Beijing’s neighbours in the South China Sea, said the Pentagon.