A warship from the PLA Navy's South China Sea Fleet fires a guided missile during a large scale of live-ammunition training exercise in the South China Sea on Monday, July 26, 2010. [Photo: Xinhua]

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy had conducted a large scale of live-ammunition training exercise in the South China Sea, according to a front-page report on Thursday's PLA Daily newspaper.

The exercise, which was carried out on July 26, brought together a large group of warships, submarines and combat aircraft.

During the exercise, warships and submarines from the Navy's South China Sea Fleet performed precision strikes on surface targets by firing guided missiles while surface warships conducted anti-missile air defense operations, said the PLA's official newspaper.

A naval aviation fleet also participated in air control operations, according to the report, which did not specify the exact location of the training or the number of participating warships.

In overseeing the training, General Chen Bingde, PLA's chief of the General Staff, said that the PLA should "pay close attention to the development of situation and tasks" and make "solid preparation for military struggle which depends on massive military training" .