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Holly Chik

Carol Yang

Liu Zhen

The Chinese military held joint naval and air drills near Scarborough Shoal, a disputed reef in the South China Sea, on Saturday.
The training exercise came after Beijing hit out at the Philippines for an “illegal” attempt to extend its seabed rights off the coast of Palawan and map out its claims to the reef.
“This is a necessary action taken in light of the current situation in the South China Sea and in response to the acts of certain countries within the region that have undermined regional peace and stability,” the PLA Southern Theatre Command wrote in a social media post.
“The training exercise aims to test and enhance the forces’ real combat capabilities to safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.”
Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines, is one of the main flashpoints in the long-running territorial dispute between the two countries.
Saturday’s drills were staged in and around the reef’s territorial sea and airspace, testing the PLA’s ability to coordinate air and sea operations and provide rapid reinforcements, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
It added that the exercise covered areas such as reconnaissance and warning, deterrent patrols, control of the air and sea, as well as joint strikes.
H-6K bombers armed with YJ-12 anti-ship missiles were deployed during the drill, video footage released by the PLA Southern Theatre Command showed.
The YJ-12 is an air-launched anti-ship missile that maintains supersonic speed throughout its flight and accelerates to Mach 4-5 during its terminal phase. It has an estimated range of 400-500 km (250-310 miles).
The missile’s heavy explosive payload could pose a significant threat to large surface combatants, “which could serve as a powerful deterrent against provocations by relevant parties”, the CCTV report quoted Chinese military commentator Zhang Junshe as saying.
China has repeatedly accused “external forces” – a reference to the United States and its allies – of interfering in the South China Sea disputes.
Since July, the US has stationed six coastguard vessels at Subic Bay in the Philippines and deployed the aircraft carrier USS George Washington to the South China Sea.




The exercise footage also shows Z-20J assault helicopters and Z-8C transport helicopters conducting take-off and landing operations on a Type 071 amphibious transport dock, alongside Wild Horse air-cushioned landing craft entering and exiting the ship’s well deck.
Type 054A and Type 056A guided-missile frigates were also seen taking part in the exercise.
The exercise demonstrated the PLA’s multidimensional amphibious warfare capability, combining vertical air assaults with heavily armed amphibious beach landings for potential contingencies, Zhang told CCTV.
“By deploying this elite naval and air force contingent on a combat readiness patrol, the Southern Theatre Command sought to send an unequivocal signal to the Philippines and external actors, underscoring China’s determination to defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” he said.
“This is a clear warning to relevant parties to cease their futile provocations and infringements.”
The China Coast Guard also held an exercise in the area, with focus on operations such as intercepting ships, boardings and inspections, and towing vessels away, according to spokesman Jiang Lue.
Saturday also marked the 99th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army.
The official PLA Daily published an opinion piece that urged the force to “keep a close eye on changes in technology, warfare and adversaries, and intensify practical, combat-oriented military training”.
“[We should] strengthen the building and application of forces for new domains and new modes of warfare … to effectively safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests,” it added.
Also on Saturday, China released a set of rules for the nature reserve it established last year to assert its control over the reef.
The regulations ban unauthorised fishing, mining and the harvesting of corals or giant clams.


State news agency Xinhua said the island had a unique coral reef ecosystem and distinct geological formations, as well as significant populations of rare and endangered marine species.
Earlier this week, the Philippines formally presented a bid to the United Nations to extend its seabed rights off the island of Palawan beyond its 200-nautical-mile (370km) exclusive economic zone, arguing that the area in question was a natural extension of its continental shelf.
China’s sweeping territorial claims in the South China Sea overlap with those of several Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines.
Manila’s submission to the UN referred to a 2016 ruling from an arbitration tribunal in The Hague that rejected China’s claims, but it insisted that its claim was “without prejudice” to sovereignty disputes or future boundary talks with neighbours.
China did not take part in the 2016 arbitral proceedings and rejects the ruling as “null and void”.
Last week, the Philippines also formally deposited its official nautical chart of Scarborough Shoal with the UN in an effort to “reinforce the legal certainty of its maritime entitlements”.
The Chinese foreign ministry responded by saying it would never accept Manila’s establishment of a “territorial sea baseline” on the shoal.
“The Philippines has frequently provoked and stirred up trouble near Huangyan Island, violating China’s sovereignty and maritime rights, escalating maritime tensions and undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea,” it said.
“China demands that the Philippines earnestly respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, and refrain from any infringing or provocative actions in the Huangyan Island area; otherwise, China will resolutely respond.”


In 2024, China released its own baselines for the territorial sea around Scarborough Shoal.
China’s mission to the UN also criticised the bid to extend Philippine seabed rights off the coast of Palawan, saying the move violated its sovereignty and urged the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf not to consider it.
Scarborough Shoal has been the scene of repeated confrontations between Chinese and Philippine ships in recent years, including a series of clashes last week that involved the use of water cannons by the Chinese coastguard.
Manila condemned the Chinese actions as “illegal, coercive and aggressive”.
The clashes happened days after a meeting between Foreign Ministers Wang Yi and Maria Theresa Lazaro, where they stressed the importance of “reducing the risk of miscalculation” and maintaining stability in the South China Sea.
Manila’s efforts to strengthen defence and security ties with Washington and Tokyo have also put Beijing on high alert.
The Philippines is considered a vital link in the “first island chain”, a series of archipelagos that form a barrier between mainland China and the open waters of the western Pacific.


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PLA and coastguards stage South China Sea drills days after Philippine territorial bid

Scarborough Shoal is one of the main flashpoints between China and the Philippines. Photo: Xinhua

Coastguard ships pictured during the exercise. Photo: The Paper

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The Philippines has accused China of “a series of water cannon attacks and dangerous manoeuvres” while the Chinese coastguard says its actions were "lawful". Photo: X/@jaytaryela

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China

Military

Supersonic anti-ship missiles deployed during exercises near disputed Scarborough Shoal seen as ‘powerful deterrent against provocations’


Supersonic anti-ship missiles deployed during exercises near disputed Scarborough Shoal seen as ‘powerful deterrent against provocations’.


PLA and coastguards stage South China Sea drills days after Philippine territorial bid

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Supersonic anti-ship missiles deployed during exercises near disputed Scarborough Shoal seen as ‘powerful deterrent against provocations’

Supersonic anti-ship missiles deployed during exercises near disputed Scarborough Shoal seen as ‘powerful deterrent against provocations’