China has conducted military “combat patrols” in the disputed South China Sea, raising the stakes in the disputed seas on the same day as the United States holds the first joint military exercises with the Philippines, Japan and Australia.
Beijing’s surprise announcement of a naval drill on Sunday came a day after defence chiefs from the four countries said the Philippines would host joint drills in the same area on the same day.
Beijing’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command said it was organising “joint naval and air combat patrols in the South China Sea”.
“All military activities that mess up the situation in the South China Sea and create hotspots are under control,” it said in a statement in an apparent swipe at the US-led drills being held in the same waters.
Top US officials have repeatedly declared the US’s “ironclad” commitment to defending the Philippines against an armed attack in the South China Sea – to the consternation of Beijing.
Trading accusations China claims territorial sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea and has been increasingly assertive in the region in recent years.
“Under the guise of ‘protecting fishing’, Philippine government ships have illegally violated and provoked, organised media to deliberately incite and mislead, continuing to undermine stability in the South China Sea,” spokesman Gan Yu said.
Named the “Maritime Cooperative Activity”, the drills will include naval and air force units from all four countries, the joint statement said.
In the disputed South China Sea, China has launched military “combat patrols,” raising the stakes in the region on the same day that the US is hosting its first joint military drills with the Philippines, Japan, and Australia.
The announcement of a surprise naval drill by Beijing on Sunday coincided with the announcement by the defense chiefs of the four nations that the Philippines would conduct joint drills in the same area on the same day.
“Joint naval and air combat patrols in the South China Sea” are being planned, according to Beijing’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command.
It said in a statement that “all military activities that mess up the situation in the South China Sea and create hotspots are under control,” seemingly a jab at the US-led drills taking place in the same waters.
Regarding its actions in the waterway on Sunday, the Chinese army provided no additional information.
Days before US President Joe Biden was scheduled to hold the first trilateral summit with the leaders of Japan and the Philippines, the drills were conducted.
To Beijing’s dismay, senior US officials have frequently reaffirmed the US’s “ironclad” commitment to protecting the Philippines from an armed attack in the South China Sea.
Exchange of charges.
Almost the whole South China Sea is under Chinese territorial sovereignty, and China has been acting more assertively there lately.
Beijing’s claim was deemed without basis by The Hague arbitral court in a 2016 ruling. However, Beijing has disregarded both that decision and the Philippines’ and other Southeast Asian countries’ conflicting territorial claims.
China’s coast guard also exchanged accusations with the Philippines on Saturday. It reported that on Thursday, it “handled” a situation at Iroquois Reef involving multiple Philippine ships involved in “illegal” operations.
Spokesman Gan Yu stated, “Under the pretext of ‘protecting fishing,’ Philippine government ships have unlawfully violated and provoked, organized media to purposefully incite and mislead, continuing to undermine stability in the South China Sea.”.
Gan declared, “We are telling the Philippines that any infringement tactics are in vain,” and China would “regularly enforce the law in waters under [its] jurisdiction.”.
The Philippines maintains that the region falls inside its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone as defined by international law. Chinese “illegal enforcement operations” are another charge made by Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarriela.
“[Ensure] that all countries are free to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated in a joint statement about the purpose of the joint drills, which were held on Sunday and were hosted by the Philippines.
According to the joint statement, naval and air force units from all four nations will participate in the exercises, which are called the “Maritime Cooperative Activity.”.
In order to protect “the rule of law that is the foundation for a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region,” reports stated that anti-submarine warfare training will also be a part of the exercises.
