China reveals why it patrolled South China Sea when US with allies was holding naval drills

The Chinese PLA (People’s Liberation Army) has revealed that it carried out “combat patrols” in the disputed South China Sea on April 7 as an apparent response to naval exercises by the US and its allies.

The China’s military carried out air and sea patrols on Sunday, the same time the Armed Forces of the Philippines, United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), Australian Defence Force (ADF) and Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) carried out their first Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) in the West Philippine Sea on April 7.

China carried out ‘combat patrols’ to create hotspots under control

A brief statement released by the Chinese military’s Southern Theater Command said China’s military had organised patrols and that “all military activities that mess up the situation in the South China Sea and create hotspots are under control.”

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The statement from China had no mention of the US or the joint exercises, but appeared to be an apparent swipe at the US-led drills.

The US and its allies too released a statement which had no mention of China, but the four countries reaffirmed their stance that a 2016 international arbitration ruling — which invalidated China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea — was final and legally binding.

The US has conducted joint patrols with the Philippines in a show of support. The exercises took place merely days before US President Joe Biden was due to hold the first trilateral summit with the leaders of Japan and the Philippines.

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PH, USA, AUS & JPN hold first Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity in WPS

Read: https://t.co/Wdljzv8LlP @HQJOC @DefenceAust @AusAmbPH#YourADF #AusNavy @ModJapan_en @dndphl @Philippine_Navy @IndoPacom @USEmbassyPH @USEmbassyTokyo @US7thFleet #AFPyoucanTRUST

📷 WESCOM pic.twitter.com/w0g6sYGXho

— Armed Forces of the Philippines (@TeamAFP) April 7, 2024

The increasing tensions in the disputed waters are expected to be high when Biden hosts his Japanese and Philippine counterparts.

Meanwhile, China says the US is inflaming tensions by meddling in the disputes.

On Saturday, the defence chiefs of the US, Japan, Australia and the Philippines announced that they would hold joint exercises in the sea to safeguard the rule of law and uphold the right to sail through and fly over the waters.

China has long-simmering territorial disputes with a number of Southeast Asian nations in the South China Sea, a major shipping route. Conflicts with the Philippines in particular have flared up since last year.

With inputs from agencies