China’s military announced on Saturday that it had monitored and tracked a joint maritime patrol led by the Philippines in the contested South China Sea on 30 and 31 October.
The statement followed growing tensions in the region after Washington and Manila unveiled plans on Friday to establish a new joint task force, aimed at enhancing cooperation in areas including the South China Sea, one of the world’s busiest waterways, through which over $3 trillion in trade passes each year.
Tian Junli, spokesperson for the Southern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army, condemned the patrol, which involved undisclosed partners, accusing it of “seriously undermining regional peace and stability.” He described the Philippines as “a troublemaker” and warned that Chinese forces remained on high alert, vowing to “resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and maritime interests.”
The Philippine embassy in Beijing has yet to comment on the incident. The patrol reportedly included forces from Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the United States, who conducted joint drills on 30 and 31 October in the South China Sea.According to the U.S. 7th Fleet, the exercise was designed to highlight “a collective commitment to regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
China, which lays claim to nearly the entire South China Sea overlapping with territories claimed by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam continues to reject the 2016 Hague tribunal ruling that dismissed its expansive claims as inconsistent with international law.
(With inputs from Reuters)
