The "large-scale" exercises were being conducted in the seas and skies off China's east coast in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Gulf, and included the firing of dozens of missiles, a notice posted on the Ministry of Defence website on Monday said. 

Naval and air force assets including dozens of ships, more than 10 aircraft, submarines and an unspecified number of coastal defence personnel took part in the drills, which the ministry said were aimed at testing weapons and honing the military's abilities in conducting coastal assaults and intercepting air targets. 

The ministry did not specify how long the drills were to last but a four-day shipping ban ending on Tuesday was issued for the area where the drills were held, according to notices by the military and local authorities. 

The announcement comes just days after China backed a US-drafted UN Security Council resolution passed on Saturday that significantly stiffened sanctions against North Korea for its pursuit of nuclear and missile weapons systems. 

In the wake of the resolution's passing, China has reiterated its resolve to side with the international community in opposing North Korea's nuclear weaponisation and aggressive sabre-rattling.

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