China’s military carried out patrols in the South China Sea from August 3 to 4, a Southern Theatre Command spokesperson said on Monday.
The Philippines said on Monday that its navy and that of India had sailed together for the first time in the South China Sea, which China claims nearly the whole of, overlapping with maritime zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
The spokesperson described the Chinese patrol as “routine” but said the Philippines’ “so-called ‘joint patrol‘ disrupted regional peace and stability”.
The Philippine embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Philippines has conducted “maritime cooperative activities” with foreign navies since late 2023 as part of its push to counter China’s expansive claims in the waterway, including joint sails with treaty ally the United States, as well as Japan, Australia, France and Canada.
Two-Day Joint Sail
Philippine military chief Romeo Brawner said the idea for the two-day joint sail, which started on Sunday and was inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, came about when he met his counterpart in India in March.
“We did not experience any untoward incidents, but there are still those shadowing us – as we had already expected,” Brawner told reporters, without naming China.
China’s foreign ministry said in a statement that territorial and maritime disputes should be resolved between the countries directly involved, and no third party should intervene.
Indian navy ships that took part in the first joint sail of the two countries included guided missile destroyer INS Delhi, tanker INS Shakti and corvette INS Kiltan. The Philippines deployed two frigates, BRP Miguel Malvar and BRP Jose Rizal.
Marcos’ India Tour
The exercise coincided with Marcos’ departure for a five-day trip to India, where he said he will look to deepen maritime ties and seek cooperation on sectors including defence, pharmaceuticals and agriculture.
China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, overlapping with maritime zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. The waterway is a strategic shipping route where $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce takes place.
A 2016 ruling of an international arbitral tribunal found Beijing’s sweeping claims have no basis under international law, a decision China rejects.
(With inputs from Reuters)
