Move comes amid scheduled US-ROK joint drill in Yellow Sea

BEIJING - The People's Liberation Army (PLA) will launch a six-day, live ammunition drill starting on Wednesday in the East China Sea, a move that analysts said is in response to a joint exercise between the United States and Republic of Korea (ROK) navies in the Yellow Sea.

The PLA decision was issued on June 24 and posted on major Chinese websites on Monday, when the US-ROK drill was scheduled to start. The US and ROK earlier cited the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as the target of their drill. A US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is also reportedly scheduled to participate in the exercise not far off China's coast.