BEIJING – Chinese forces launched coordinated naval, air and coast guard operations around Scarborough Shoal on Sunday, according to statements from Beijing’s military and maritime authorities.
The contested shoal sits within Philippine territorial waters, though Beijing maintains its own sovereignty claims over the area.
Sunday’s military activity followed the resumption of high-level diplomatic discussions between China and the Philippines last week, focusing on the disputed maritime region and potential energy development partnerships.
According to the Philippine foreign ministry on Saturday, these negotiations marked the first comprehensive bilateral dialogue since March 2023, designed to build mutual trust and reduce tensions.
Maritime clashes have escalated friction between the two nations recently, with Philippine officials condemning Beijing for what they call “dangerous manoeuvres” and water cannon attacks against Filipino supply operations in disputed zones.
China’s Southern Theater Command defended the military presence in a Sunday statement, saying “Such patrols serve as an effective countermeasure to cope with all sorts of rights-violation and provocative acts.”
Philippine diplomatic representatives in Beijing have not yet responded to requests for comment on the latest patrol operations.
