China Reinforces Sovereignty Enforcement in South China Sea Amid Regional Tensions

A file photo from May 12, 2024, depicts vessels belonging to the China Coast Guard (CCG) engaged in training activities within the South China Sea. Recently, the CCG conducted routine exercises focused on enforcing laws and protecting rights in the waters surrounding Huangyan Dao.

On Thursday, the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) revealed that they organized a combination of naval and aerial forces to conduct combat-readiness patrols across the territorial waters, airspace, and adjacent regions of Huangyan Dao. Since June, the PLA has consistently bolstered their patrol operations, aiming to enhance their vigilance and control over critical maritime and aerial domains to protect national sovereignty and maintain stability in the South China Sea.

A video shared by the PLA shows various naval vessels, including the Type 054A frigate and Type 056A corvette, alongside air support from the J-16 fighter jet and H-6K bomber, the latter equipped with YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missiles. Ding Duo, a director at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, noted that China's enforcement and rights protection activities in the region have become a normalized state practice.

This past Monday, the China Coast Guard reported that they have been enhancing their law enforcement patrols in the waters near Huangyan Dao since June, executing operations such as monitoring, issuing verbal warnings, making interceptions, and expelling foreign vessels as needed. The CCG's goal is to assert strong control over maritime areas and uphold China's territorial claims and rights effectively.

Ding clarified that China's recent maneuvers have become more sophisticated following the establishment of specific territorial sea baselines around Huangyan Dao. He argued that the actions taken by the PLA and CCG are necessary countermeasures to perceived threats posed by the Philippines and non-regional actors conducting military exercises in the vicinity, which raise concerns regarding China's security and regional stability.

Ding reaffirmed China's determination and capability to defend its sovereignty and protect its interests in the region against both rhetorical and maritime challenges. Additionally, it was reported on Tuesday that China has imposed sanctions on former Philippine senator Francis Tolentino due to his conduct related to China, barring him from entering mainland China, as well as Hong Kong and Macao, according to a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.