By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — China deployed naval, air, and coast guard forces near the disputed Scarborough Shoal over the weekend, signaling that tensions in the South China Sea remain high despite recent efforts to ease broader U.S.-China relations.
The patrols came just days after Philippine and American forces concluded a five-day joint maritime exercise in waters near the shoal, an area that has long been a flashpoint in the territorial dispute between Beijing and Manila.
China’s People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command said its forces conducted combat-readiness patrols in what it described as the “territorial sea and airspace” surrounding Scarborough Shoal. Beijing claimed the operations were intended to counter what it called “rights violations and provocative acts,” though it did not identify any specific country.
In a separate statement, China’s Coast Guard said it also carried out law enforcement patrols around the shoal and had acted against vessels allegedly involved in “illegal rights-violation activities” throughout May. No further details were provided.
The latest Chinese operations followed maritime drills conducted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States from May 26 to 30. The exercises included visit-board-search-and-seizure operations and were aimed at enhancing interoperability, strengthening maritime security cooperation, and improving awareness of activities in contested waters.
Scarborough Shoal, known locally as Bajo de Masinloc, remains one of the most heavily disputed maritime features in the West Philippine Sea. The area has repeatedly witnessed confrontations involving Chinese and Philippine vessels, particularly over fishing rights and freedom of navigation.
The developments coincided with the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, where defense officials and military leaders from across the Asia-Pacific gathered to discuss regional security challenges.
Speaking on the sidelines of the forum, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the Philippines continues to face a “severe threat” from China, both territorially and politically, despite signs of improving relations between Washington and Beijing following recent talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“We have no choice but to remain resilient and stand up against Chinese aggression,” Teodoro said, emphasizing Manila’s commitment to defending its sovereign rights and interests in the West Philippine Sea.
The latest patrols underscore the continuing volatility of the South China Sea dispute, where competing territorial claims and growing military activity continue to test regional stability despite diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
ia/xf
