China’s military has launched a joint training exercise in the vicinity of the disputed Scarborough Shoal, an announcement that arrives just two days after a high-tension maritime confrontation between Beijing and Manila. The People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command confirmed the maneuver on WeChat, describing the combined air and naval drill as a necessary response to actions by unspecified countries that it claims have undermined regional peace and stability.
According to the Southern Theater Command, the exercise is intended to test and improve combat capabilities aimed at safeguarding China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights. The China Coast Guard (CCG) separately stated that the drills focused on law enforcement, management, and the protection of maritime rights around the atoll. Scarborough Shoal, located approximately 200 kilometers west of the Philippines’ Luzon Island and 874 kilometers from China’s Hainan Island, has remained under Chinese control since a 10-week standoff in 2012. Since that time, CCG vessels have maintained a presence, often restricting Filipino fishermen from accessing the lagoon.
The current military activity follows a breakdown in the previously established provisional understanding regarding Philippine resupply missions to troops at Second Thomas Shoal. On Friday, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela reported that a mission to provide supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre—a grounded warship serving as a Philippine outpost—was suspended after a CCG vessel performed dangerous maneuvers against the Philippine resupply ship M/V Lapu-Lapu. While no injuries or collisions occurred, Tarriela noted that the maneuvers created a serious risk to Filipino personnel.
The Chinese government offered a different account, with a CCG spokesperson accusing the Philippines of provocative acts. The CCG maintained that the BRP Sierra Madre was illegally grounded on the shoal in 1999 and stated that its forces acted in accordance with the law by issuing warnings and monitoring the vessel. The U.S. embassy in Manila issued a statement condemning the Chinese maneuvers, praising the professionalism of its Philippine allies, and describing the blocked mission as a lawful routine operation. In response, the Chinese embassy condemned the United States for supporting what it termed provocative actions at the reef.
This latest incident marks a significant escalation following a period of relative calm at Second Thomas Shoal. Tensions had spiked previously in 2023 and 2024, including a July 2024 melee that left eight Philippine naval personnel injured, including one who lost a thumb. The current interdiction attempt suggests that the provisional agreement between Manila and Beijing has effectively collapsed, pointing toward a potentially volatile new phase in the disputed waterway.
