China Sends Military to Disputed Territory Amid Tensions With US Ally

The Chinese military on Sunday conducted “combat readiness patrols” at a disputed South China Sea reef in the maritime zone of the Philippines, an ally of the United States, two days after Beijing’s coast guard carried out “law enforcement patrols” in the same area. Why It Matters The Chinese patrols were conducted at Scarborough Shoal, a fishing ground known in the Philippines as Bajo de Masinloc and in China as Huangyan Island. After a 2012 standoff with the Philippines, China seized control of the reef, which is 140 miles west of Luzon Island in the Philippines and 700 miles from China’s nearest province of Hainan. According to international law, the Philippine economic zone extends 200 nautical miles (230 miles) from baselines where the breadth of the country’s territorial sea is measured. Manila is entitled to claim sovereign rights to exploit resources found in the waters within the zone. China claims nearly all maritime features in the South China Sea, claims that clash with those of other regional nations. In November, Beijing released a list of base points connected by straight baselines, which delineated the waters it claims jurisdiction over, including Scarborough Shoal. What To Know The Chinese military, officially known as the People’s Liberation Army, said the Southern Theater Command, which has an area of responsibility that covers the South China Sea, had deployed its naval and air forces around the reef and in surrounding areas. A video released by the Chinese military showed that Y-8 special operations aircraft, a Su-30 fighter jet and an H-6K bomber, as well as a warship flotilla led by Type 055 destroyer CNS Xianyang, took part in the patrols, China’s state-run media Global Times reported. The Southern Theater Command also claimed that it has “continuously” strengthened patrols around the territorial waters and airspace of the reef this month, safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and security, as well as maintaining regional peace and stability. In this photo taken from a video released by the Chinese military, a Chinese fighter jet conducts combat readiness patrols over Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on December 29, 2024. China seized control… In this photo taken from a video released by the Chinese military, a Chinese fighter jet conducts combat readiness patrols over Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on December 29, 2024. China seized control of the reef after a 2012 standoff with the Philippines. Chinese military On Friday, the Chinese coast guard conducted law enforcement patrols at the reef, according to a statement, which claimed that it has intensified patrols since the beginning of December, “driving away” ships to strengthen its control of the reef. In the latest annual report on Chinese military power, the U.S. Defense Department said China has dispatched its navy, coast guard, maritime militia and civilian ships to advance its illegal claims around South China Sea features, including Scarborough Reef. Regarding China’s patrols, Newsweek has emailed the Philippine military for comment. What People Are Saying Zhuo Hua, an international affairs expert at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times: “Combat readiness patrols ensure personnel and equipment remain in full combat readiness, ready to respond to any accidental escalation or external attacks.” Ding Duo, a deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the China Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times: “China’s management of the situation is a key factor in maintaining overall peace and stability in the South China Sea.” In this photo taken from a video released by the Chinese military, three Chinese naval ships conduct combat readiness patrols at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on December 29, 2024. The Chinese military… In this photo taken from a video released by the Chinese military, three Chinese naval ships conduct combat readiness patrols at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on December 29, 2024. The Chinese military claimed that the patrols safeguarded China’s national sovereignty and security. Chinese military What Happens Next In the new year, China is likely to continue its “combat readiness” and “law enforcement” patrols at Scarborough Shoal. It remains to be seen whether the U.S. will step up its military presence in the South China Sea, to showcase its support for the Philippines.