BEIJING - China will conduct military training in the South China Sea from July 29 to Aug 2, China’s Maritime Safety Administration said in a notice on Friday.

It will cover a large area including the Paracel Islands and Macclesfield Bank.

Vessels are banned from entering the area during the military training, the notice said.

China claims most of the territory in the energy-rich waters of the South China Sea.

The Paracels, consisting of 30 islands, is occupied by China, but also claimed partly by Vietnam and Taiwan.

The Macclesfield Bank, an entirely underwater atoll of reefs and shoals east of Paracels, is administered by China’s Sansha town but also claimed by Taiwan. REUTERS