BEIJING/MANILA - China's navy conducted a patrol in the South China Sea on Tuesday, saying that the Philippines has been creating "disturbances", as the Filipino and US air forces conducted their own joint mission above the disputed waterway.
China, which claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, has been involved in an increasingly tense stand-off with the Philippines in the waters there, as both seek to assert their sovereignty claims.
More than 14,000 Filipino and US soldiers are participating in the Balikatan joint exercises which run from April 21 through May 9 for a "full battle test" in the face of shared regional security concerns. China has said the drills are provocative.
In a statement late on Tuesday, the Southern Theatre Command of China's People's Liberation Army said its forces had that same day carried out "routine" patrols in the South China Sea, without giving an exact location.
"Recently, the Philippines has been frequently carrying out maritime infringement provocations, creating disturbances and pulling in countries from outside the region to organize so-called 'joint patrols'," it said in a statement.
The command's naval and air forces have monitored the situation and maintained vigilance, it added.
"Troops in the theatre of operations are maintaining a high level of alert, resolutely defending the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and resolutely safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea region."
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) meanwhile on Wednesday said it "stands firm in exercising our sovereign rights within our maritime domain."
"The conduct of joint exercises and maritime domain awareness operations within our territorial waters and exclusive economic zone is not a provocation—it is preparedness. These are deliberate, lawful actions anchored on international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and rooted in responsible, forward-looking defense," the AFP said in a statement.
"Our partnerships, especially with long-standing allies like the United States, reflect shared values and a collective commitment to safeguarding peace, security, and the rules-based international order. These collaborative efforts reinforce not just military capability but mutual trust and strategic interoperability," it added.
“We will assess our readiness in all domains—air, land, sea, cyber, information, and the emerging frontier of space—through comprehensive exercises that integrate tactical precision with strategic foresight," AFP chief of staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. said.
"To be clear: the Philippines is a sovereign state. No foreign power can dictate how we defend our home or with whom we stand in solidarity," the AFP said.
"With unity, professionalism, and strategic clarity, we move forward—resolute in our mission to defend and promote a peaceful, secure, and stable region," it added.
On Tuesday, the AFP said the Philippines and US air forces had conducted a joint patrol over the West Philippine Sea as part of ongoing defense cooperation.
The maritime patrol involved three FA-50 fighter jets from the Philippine Air Force, along with two US B-1B bombers, two F-16s and an F-18.
Troops from the Philippines, US, and Australia also conducted a counter-landing and live fire exercise in Palawan as part of this year’s Balikatan drills, the AFP said.
In a statement, the AFP said the activity conducted Monday started with a maritime interdiction scenario, in which Philippine Navy assets engaged and neutralized a simulated seaborne intrusion.
Among the assets used in the activity were Multi-Purpose Attack Crafts (MPACs) and Fast Attack Interdiction Craft (FAIC).
Naval and ground forces demonstrated seamless coordination, according to the AFP.
Then the operation transitioned into an integrated coastal live fire mission, in which a diverse range of military capabilities were used.
The Philippine Navy also successfully test-fired two surface-to-air missiles during a live exercise in the waters off San Antonio, Zambales on Monday.
According to a statement on Tuesday, the Philippine Navy frigate BRP Jose Rizal hit two drones flown by the US Indo-Pacific Command's Pacific Multi-Domain Training and Experimentation Capability (PMTEC) and Threat Systems Management Office (TSMO) with pinpoint accuracy.
GMA News Online also contacted the Philippine Navy, Department of National Defense, and the National Security Council to get their comment regarding China's allegation but has yet to receive their replies as of posting time.—Reuters/with a report from Joviland Rita/KG, GMA Integrated News
