China’s military said Thursday it conducted naval and air combat-readiness patrols near Scarborough Shoal in the contested South China Sea.
The move comes as forces from Australia, New Zealand, Philippines and the United States hold annual drills from April 20 to May 8, showcasing advanced weaponry and operational readiness.
Balikatan Drills
The annual Balikatan or “shoulder to shoulder” exercises involve the largest number of participating nations to date, U.S. and Philippine officials have said.
They rehearse coastal defence manoeuvres and test ability to work together to protect territorial waters, with tactics such as repelling a mock assault with live fire against designated targets and intercepting threats.
“Such patrols serve as an effective countermeasure to cope with all sorts of rights-violation and provocative acts,” the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese military said in a statement describing Thursday’s exercises.
“They are meant to resolutely safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea.”
The Philippine embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sovereignty Dispute
In 2024, China defined a baseline of “territorial waters” around the Scarborough Shoal, which it claims as its territory and calls Huangyan Island. The shoal is a major point of contention over sovereignty and fishing rights.
Manila protested the Chinese claims, saying they “infringe upon Philippine sovereignty and contravene international law.”
China has previously criticised the joint military exercises by the Philippines and its allies, saying they raise regional tension.
The Asia-Pacific region needs peace and stability, rather than outside powers stirring up division, Chinese defence ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang told a press conference on Thursday, in comments on the U.S.-Philippine drills.
(With inputs from Reuters)
