Beijing: The Chinese military announced that it conducted routine air and sea patrols in the South China Sea over the weekend, as regional tensions continue to escalate following the first-ever joint maritime patrols by the Philippines and India in the contested waters.
The People's Liberation Army’s Southern Theatre Command confirmed the two-day operation, stating that its forces were closely monitoring and patrolling the area. The patrols, conducted from August 3 to 4, were described by Chinese authorities as part of regular military readiness, but the timing has drawn international attention.
The operation came shortly after India and the Philippines launched their inaugural joint naval patrols in the South China Sea. Beijing responded sharply, condemning the move as a destabilizing act and warning that such “so-called joint patrols” would only increase tensions in the region. A spokesperson from the Chinese military accused the participating countries of threatening peace and undermining regional stability.
China's response reflects a pattern of increasingly assertive behavior in the disputed waters. In recent months, China has intensified its patrols and conducted military drills near contested features such as the Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands. The country continues to assert sweeping territorial claims despite a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated its expansive “nine-dash line” claim.
The Philippines, backed by international law under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), has consistently rejected Chinese interference in its exclusive economic zone. Manila has grown increasingly vocal and active in coordinating with allies like the United States, Japan, and now India to counter what it describes as China's maritime aggression.
This latest development adds to a series of confrontations in recent months, including near-collisions between Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels and increased deployment of maritime militia ships around Philippine-occupied reefs. The joint drills between India and the Philippines are seen by analysts as a strategic move to deepen security ties among countries that challenge China's claims in the region.
Military analysts warn that the South China Sea is becoming a focal point of global geopolitical rivalry, with China’s expanding naval capabilities and its continued use of grey-zone tactics — actions that fall below the threshold of open warfare but exert strategic pressure on its neighbors.
As countries in the region strengthen partnerships and expand their presence in the waters, the risk of unintended incidents is rising. Observers say that without open communication and mutual restraint, even routine patrols could trigger larger confrontations in the future.
The South China Sea remains one of the world’s most contested and strategically significant waterways, critical for global shipping and rich in natural resources. The actions by China and the response from regional partners will likely continue to shape the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region in the months ahead.