The Chinese military has carried out two-day joint combat readiness patrols in the contested South China Sea, signalling heightened activity in the strategically significant waters amidst ongoing tensions with the Philippines. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theatre Command announced that its naval and air forces conducted patrols last Friday and Saturday.
According to the PLA, these operations aim to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, asserting that “any military activities that disrupt the South China Sea are fully under control.” However, the statement provided no further specifics about the patrols.
It marked the PLA’s first patrol in the South China Sea for the year and coincided with joint air and sea military exercises conducted by the Philippines and the United States. These exercises occurred just days before the scheduled inauguration of Donald Trump’s second presidential term on Monday, which analysts believe could further influence tensions in the region.
China’s military and coastguard have intensified their activities in the disputed waters in recent years. The Philippines, in particular, has faced mounting challenges as Beijing continues to assert its territorial claims aggressively. Philippine authorities recently protested the presence of China’s largest coastguard ship—the 12,000-tonne “monster ship”—along with other vessels and a naval helicopter operating within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone near Scarborough Shoal.
The Philippines has been bolstering its presence in the disputed Spratly Islands by upgrading infrastructure, including an airstrip on Thitu Island, its only inhabited outpost in the region. At the same time, Manila has lodged formal complaints against what was described as “escalatory and provocative” actions by the Chinese coastguard.
Last year, the PLA and Chinese coastguard maintained a strong presence in the South China Sea, often reacting to military activities by other nations. Notable instances included patrols in February after the Philippines increased troop deployments in Batanes province, located just 200 kilometres from Taiwan. Similarly, in April, PLA forces conducted patrols coinciding with a joint exercise involving the Philippines, the United States, Japan, and Australia. In November, China’s military carried out patrols near Scarborough Shoal following moves by both sides to reinforce their sovereignty claims.
As the South China Sea remains a focal point of geopolitical competition, the region faces a delicate balance between strategic rivalries and potential avenues for diplomatic resolution.
Team BharatShakti
