China Begins Military Patrol Near Scarborough Shoal As Australia, Canada, US Join Philippines For Drills

In a show of force aimed at deterring China, the Philippines and its allies, including the United States, Australia, and Canada, announced joint military drills in the South China Sea. Nonetheless, China challenged them, initiating joint patrols near a contested area on the same day.

On August 7, the Philippines, the United States, Australia, and Canada started two-day air and naval operations within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea. The allies characterized it as a demonstration of strength aimed at promoting the rule of law in the contested South China Sea, where China has been intensifying its territorial assertions.

Leaders of Australia, Canada, and the Philippines’ armed forces and defense departments, along with Adm. Samuel Paparo, the commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, said in a statement that they “stand together to address common maritime challenges and underscore our shared dedication to upholding international law and the rules-based order.”

An official statement published by the US Indo-Pacific Command stated, “We stand together to address common maritime challenges and underscore our shared dedication to upholding international law and the rules-based order. Our four nations reaffirm the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal Award as a final and legally binding decision on the parties to the dispute.”

Without naming a country, the Allies stated that the drills were held to ensure and reinforce unhindered passage in the Indo-Pacific region. China claims 90% of the South China Sea, which is a vital passageway for international trade and security. It has been aggressively expanding its influence over the region, overriding the opposition of other claimants as well as the international community.

The commanders said, “The naval and air force units of participating nations will operate together, enhancing cooperation and interoperability between our armed forces. “The activity will be conducted in a manner that is consistent with international law and with due regard to the safety of navigation and the rights and interests of other states.”

According to a military official in the Philippines, the fighter jets and naval ships would carry out communications checks, joint sea passage maneuvers, and anti-submarine warfare training. The official spoke anonymously before disclosing the precise nature of the maneuvers.

A spokesperson for the Philippine Navy, Rear Adm. Roy Trinidad, said the maneuvers were “a collective expression of support for a rules-based international order” rather than targeting any particular nation.

The Philippines has emerged as the biggest contender and rival for Beijing in the South China Sea. The two sides have engaged in multiple stand-offs and violent engagements in the disputed territories, including the Second Thomas Shoal and the Scarborough Shoal, which have fueled concerns of a larger escalation in the region.

The Philippines’ top envoy to the United States, Jose Manuel Romualdez, previously said that the “real flashpoint” for armed confrontation in the region is not Taiwan but rather the South China Sea. At that time, he warned that “all hell would break loose” if Washington chose to use a mutual security treaty to defend Manila in the disputed waterway.

The US has repeatedly reaffirmed its strong commitment to Manila, referencing the long-standing treaty between the two allies.

While a provisional agreement has achieved a temporary and shaky calm, Beijing continues to assert dominance over the territories claimed by Manila.

Manila has found support from its most reliable partner, the United States, in its tussle with China. The two sides have held several military drills together in the last few months, including trilateral drills with countries like Japan and Australia. The latest drills are not rare. However, the presence of Australia and Canada is significant as both countries have had engagements with China in recent times, some over the South China Sea.

While the Philippines and other nations chose not to specify China, the intended message regarding the drills was likely clear to China. In response, China swiftly executed a counter-action that would require acknowledgment from its allies.

China’s Challenge In The South China Sea

Amidst ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, the Chinese military conducted a combined air and maritime patrol around Scarborough Shoal on August 6—the day the Philippines and its allies started their two-day drills.

The People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theatre Command announced that it had coordinated a joint patrol in the waters and airspace close to the shoal with the goal of “testing the theater troops’ capacities in reconnaissance, early warning, rapid mobility, and joint strikes.”

Writing on Chinese social media Weibo, the Command said, “All military activities that disrupt the situation in the South China Sea, create hotspots, and undermine regional peace and stability are well under control.”

Even though the Chinese command did not directly mention the first iteration of the four-nation drills taking place in the Philippines’ EEZ, experts say the timing is certainly unmissable.

Earlier, the Chinese military launched patrols in the South China Sea on the same day when the Philippines, the US, Japan, and Australia started joint drills in the region. “The Southern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army will conduct a joint air and sea combat patrol in the South China Sea on April 7,” the Southern Theatre Command announced on its WeChat account at the time.

This time, however, the choice of location for conducting these dresses is also interesting.

Scarborough Shoal is disputed between Beijing and Manila. It is also known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines. Since an intense standoff in 2012, China has maintained effective control over the region. The site of the recent joint patrols is just 220 kilometers from the Philippine island of Luzon.

The South China Sea’s contested seas, primarily around Scarborough Shoal, Second Thomas Shoal, and Sabina Shoal, have seen a spike in tensions between Beijing and Manila in recent years, particularly in the past year.

Various analysts and military observers on social media noted that China’s simultaneous demonstration of power alongside Manila and its allies indicates a direct challenge to their authority.

• Contact the author at sakshi.tiwari9555 (at) gmail.com
• Follow EurAsian Times on Google News