Naval and aerial drills were reportedly a response to joint exercise involving Philippines, US, Canadian and Australian forces
China has conducted a combat patrol near disputed territory in the South China Sea, following military maneuvers there by the Philippines along with the US and other Western allies.
According to media reports, the Chinese military’s Southern Theater Command announced on Wednesday that it had carried out air and sea combat patrols near Scarborough Shoal to test “strike capabilities.”
Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines, is claimed by both Beijing and Manila. It is about 220 kilometers (120 nautical miles) west of the Philippine Island of Luzon.
The Chinese maneuvers tested the reconnaissance and early warning capabilities of its troops, according to Beijing.
“All military activities that disrupt the South China Sea, create hotspots, and undermine regional peace and stability are all being controlled to the best extent,” it stressed.
The combat patrol has reportedly been carried out in response to same-day military drills conducted by the US, Australia, Canada and the Philippines.
In a joint statement, military chiefs of the four countries vowed to “uphold the right to freedom of navigation and overflight,” and other uses of the sea and international airspace allowed under international law.
