Chinese military drills not directed against neighbours: PLA

China today said its ongoing military drills were not directed against any country and asked Japan and other neighbours not to play up the issue.
The exercises are routine arrangement in accordance with annual training plan to strengthen training, combat readiness to deal with multiple threats, Chinese Defence Ministry Spokesman, Col Geng Yansheng told a media briefing here which was thrown open to some foreign media organisations for the first time.
"The exercises do not target any third country. If someone feels uneasy and they are directed against that is their problem," he said, replying to questions about concerns in Japan, which currently involved in a military stand off with China over disputed islands in East China sea.

Geng confirmed that its ongoing military exercise in southeast coastal areas has affected civilian flights amid reports that the drills have thrown Chinese aviation sector into a spin resulting in cancellation of hundreds of flights leading to chaos and confusion.
Earlier the Defence Ministry had blamed poor weather for the delay and cancellation of flights.
Geng, however, said the defence ministry has kept close contacts with civil aviation authorities to minimise the impact.

"It is a fact that military activities affect civil flight operations. There is no exception around the world," he said.
The military drill started on July 29. It is part of the Chinese armed forces' routine training, which is important for testing combat capability and improving real-combat training levels and military preparation, according to the defence ministry.

Both military and civil aviation management authorities have taken measures to minimise the exercise's impact on civil flights by opening temporary air routes, allocating protection airspace, and setting alternative deviation plans, Geng said.
China's military controls much of the country's airspace which results in longer flight times, less efficient routes and delays.