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Hayley Wong

Wendy Wu

The Chinese military conducted a joint sea and air patrol around the disputed Scarborough Shoal on Wednesday amid continuing tensions in the South China Sea.
The Southern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army said Wednesday’s patrol “aimed to test the theatre troops’ capacities in reconnaissance, early warning, rapid mobility and joint strikes”.
“All military activities that disrupt the situation in the South China Sea, create hotspots and undermine regional peace and stability, are well under control,” it said in a post on the social media platform Weibo.


Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines, is claimed by both Beijing and Manila and has been effectively controlled by China since an intense stand-off in 2012. It is about 220km (120 nautical miles) west of the main Philippine island Luzon.
Tensions have escalated between the two countries in recent years, mainly centred on Scarborough Shoal, Second Thomas Shoal and Sabina Shoal, where there have been a series of confrontations in recent months.
The PLA patrol came on the same day the Philippine military held its first joint drill with the United States, Canada and Australia.
It followed the first joint exercise between the Philippines and Japan last week.
According to a joint statement, the four militaries will conduct the exercise within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone until Thursday to show their “collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific”.
It said their naval and air forces would “enhance cooperation and interoperability” while the four countries pledged to “stand together to address common maritime challenges”.
Song Zhongping, a military commentator and former PLA instructor, said the Chinese exercise was officially classed as a “combat preparation patrol” and was being carried out because the joint exercise is in territory claims as its own.
He added: “If the other side crosses our bottom line, we will definitely counteract it.”
Yue Gang, a retired People’s Liberation Army colonel, said combat preparation patrols are smaller than full military exercises and are mainly aimed to carry out surveillance but can still act as a “deterrent”.
Yue also said he believed China was deliberately “breaking into the so-called economic exclusive zone of the Philippines” to challenge the “provocation” from the four-way exercise.


Zhang Junshe, a commentator with China’s Naval Research Institute, told the nationalist newspaper Global Times that the patrol meant the PLA would be able to quickly spot any “provocative actions” and respond.
The PLA conducted a patrol in the South China Sea in April when the Philippines, Japan, Australia and the US held joint military drills.
At the time it said activities “intended to sabotage the situation” and create “hotspots” in the waters were “well under control”.
Chinese coastguards have become more active around the Scarborough Shoal, carrying out regular patrols in response to the presence of civilian and coastguard ships from the Philippines.
Beijing also says it has “normalised” safety training nearby, further establishing its presence.


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China’s Southern Theatre Command says it conducted military drills around Scarborough Shoal on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua

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Philippine Coast Guard divers and marine scientists surveying part of Sabina Shoal in the waters of South China Sea in June. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard / AFP

Philippine coastguard boats help distribute fuel assistance in Sabina Shoal on Monday. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard

A Chinese coastguard member holds an axe as they approach Philippine troops on a resupply mission in the Second Thomas Shoal at the disputed South China Sea on June 17. Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines via AP

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Philippine coastguard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessels on a fuel assistance mission to the Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard

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PLA ‘combat preparation patrol’ held at the same time as joint exercise involving Philippine, US, Canadian and Australian forces


PLA ‘combat preparation patrol’ held at the same time as joint exercise involving Philippine, US, Canadian and Australian forces.
