PLA Southern Theater Patrol in South China Sea Amid Joint Exercises

The People's Liberation Army’s Southern Theater Command carried out a routine patrol in the South China Sea on Wednesday, one day after joint military exercises were held in the region by the Philippines and the United States. A spokesperson, Tian Junli, stated that the PLA was simply conducting regular operations while warning that the Philippines’ actions, which involved working with other countries, constituted an attempt to legitimize claims regarded by China as illegal, thereby challenging its maritime rights and interests.

The spokesperson further asserted that the Chinese forces remained vigilant and were fully prepared to counter any maneuvers that might disrupt stability in the South China Sea. On Tuesday, while the air forces of the Philippines and the US performed joint patrols, the PLA's Southern Theater Command also executed a flight over Huangyan Island, emphasizing that these calculated steps were taken out of concern for peace and the maintenance of a secure region.

Earlier in the week, the Southern Theater Command had organized both naval and air exercises near the Basilan Strait, an area close to the Philippines. According to the PLA official, the operations adhered strictly to international law and norms, dismissing allegations from the Philippines that the Chinese naval fleet's movements were provocative. The command accused the Philippines of distorting the narrative surrounding these routine passages, claiming that such accusations aimed to undermine the legitimate navigation rights enjoyed by China and other countries.