Chinese military announces drills and patrols in disputed South China Sea

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Louise Thomas

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China said its air and naval forces will take part in drills in the disputed area of the South China Sea hours after the country’s top diplomat discussed ways of reducing regional tension with his US counterpart.

Chinese forces will take part in the drills on Saturday, including "routine" early warning and reconnaissance exercises as well as patrols around Scarborough Shoal, China’s People's Liberation Army said in a statement on social media.

"The theatre troops maintain a high degree of vigilance, resolutely defending national sovereignty, security and maritime rights and interests, (and) are firm in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea," it said.

The announcement comes after Australia and the Phillippines said their militaries would hold planned maritime drills with allies Japan, US and New Zealand in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

The Scarborough Shoal is located 200km off the Philippines, within its exclusive economic zone, but China claims it to be part of its Zhongsha Islands.

The Scarborough Shoal, among other islands in the region, has been one of the most contested regions between Manila and Beijing. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague in 2016 ruled in favour of the Phillippines, rejecting China’s claims to a large swath of the regional waters. The ruling was ignored by China.

The tribunal did not determine sovereignty over the Scarborough Shoal, which it said was a traditional fishing ground for several countries.

The announcement of the Chinese naval manoeuvres comes after foreign minister Wang Yi met US secretary of state Antony Blinken in New York for talks that covered ways to avoid conflict in the South China Sea.

Mr Blinken in March had assured the Philippines its defence partnership with the US was "ironclad" after Manila accused Beijing of aggressive deployments in the South China Sea of its coast guard and fishing vessels suspected of being a maritime militia.

Manila this month called twenty of its allies to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session amid fears that one “wrong move” could escalate tensions in the contested waters.

The Philippines and China have exchanged accusations of intentionally ramming coast guard vessels in the disputed waters in recent months, including a violent clash in June in which a Filipino sailor lost a finger.

Mr Wang on Friday "emphasised that China insists on resolving differences with countries directly concerned through dialogue and consultation", during the meeting, his ministry said in a statement.

Mr Blinken said he raised China's "dangerous and destabilising actions" in the waters and discussed improving communication between the two nations' militaries.

Mr Wang told Mr Blinken "the US should not always stir up trouble in the South China Sea and should not undermine the efforts of regional countries to maintain peace and stability", the Chinese foreign ministry added.

A Beijing-based thinktank estimated that warships of various nations spent more than 20,000 days annually in the South China Sea, while more than 30,000 military aircraft traverse it.

The South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative said US Navy ships spent about 1,600 days at sea in the region.

Additional reporting by agencies