The Chinese military conducted “air and naval” exercises in the South China Sea between February 2 and 6, in response to joint exercises organized last month by the Philippines and the United States in the region.
Zhai Shichen, spokesperson for the Southern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), accused the Philippines of allying with “countries outside the region” to carry out “bilateral air patrols” that, he stated, “undermine regional peace and stability.”
The regime spokesperson assured that Chinese forces “will remain in a state of maximum alert” and will “firmly defend China’s territorial sovereignty and its maritime rights and interests,” without offering details about the means used in the patrols.
These maneuvers followed similar exercises carried out by China between January 25 and 26, after the Philippines and the United States organized a joint navigation in the Scarborough Reef – known in China as Huangyan and in the Philippines as Bajo de Masinloc -, within the exclusive economic zone that Manila claims.
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In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in a territorial dispute, a decision that Beijing rejected and decided not to recognize. Since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in 2022, Manila has strengthened its defense cooperation with the North American country, which coincided with increased friction with Xi Jinping’s regime in the region.
The United States had already shown its support in December when it condemned the actions of the Chinese Coast Guard against Philippine fishing vessels in disputed waters of the South China Sea, an incident that left three fishermen injured after the use of water cannons and blockade maneuvers.
“We condemn China’s use of water cannons near the Sabina Shoal. These aggressive actions endanger the lives of Filipino fishermen seeking to earn a living,” the State Department said in a statement.
The confrontation occurred when about twenty Philippine fishing vessels were fishing in the vicinity of the sea.According to Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela, the fishermen were “fishing within the law” when they were attacked by two Chinese Coast Guard vessels.
In parallel, from Taiwan, Defense Minister Koo Li-hsiung warned that the repetition of Chinese military exercises near the island could desensitize the population, although he stressed that the threat from Beijing is “urgent” and “really exists.”
In statements reported by the CNA agency, Koo pointed out that China routinely carries out “law enforcement patrols” in waters near the peripheral islands of Taiwan and around the middle line of the Strait, seeking to “create the false appearance” that the area belongs to its internal waters.
The official also warned about cybersecurity risks, such as “cyber attacks and intrusions” by hackers, and denounced the simultaneous use of political, economic, military and psychological tools by China to carry out a “cognitive war” against Taiwan.
“When these actions are constantly repeated, we are concerned that they can numb the psychological defenses of the population; in reality, this enemy threat is urgent and truly exists,” he emphasized.
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(With information from EFE)
