US, Philippines Conduct Joint Drills in South China Sea; China Denounces 'Provocation'

The United States and the Philippines conducted joint military exercises in the South China Sea in late July. In response, China's Ministry of National Defense announced that its naval and air forces had carried out regular patrols in the waters, accusing the Philippines of colluding with foreign forces to disrupt regional peace and stability. Colonel Li Shichen, spokesperson for the PLA's Southern Theater Command, stated that "the Philippines has been dragging in external forces to conduct so-called joint patrols, disrupting the situation in the South China Sea and undermining regional peace and stability." He affirmed that forces under the command would "resolutely defend national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and maintain regional peace and stability." These joint drills involved naval units from the Philippines, the US, and Japan. This is part of an effort by the Philippines to expand the scale and frequency of exercises in recent years, with support from the US and Japan, to counter China's extensive territorial claims in the South China Sea. The Philippine military emphasized that the drills demonstrate "a strong partnership between allies in promoting peace, stability, and security in the Indo-Pacific region." The exercises followed days after the Philippines accused the Chinese Coast Guard of attacking a Filipino sailor. The Philippine side claimed Chinese Coast Guard vessels used water cannons against Philippine government vessels, while China asserted that it only took legal measures after Philippine vessels "deliberately intruded." China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea and rejects the 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling that declared its claims to be without legal basis. China's claims conflict with those of several other countries in the region, notably Vietnam and the Philippines. Meanwhile, Vietnam has not garnered as much media attention on the South China Sea issue as the Philippines. An analysis published by the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore indicated that Vietnam pursues a strategy of "saying less, doing more," combining public restraint with practical measures. This stems from the recognition that maintaining stable relations with China, its largest trading partner, is key to Vietnam's long-term economic growth and development goals. Concurrently, Vietnam is quietly strengthening defense cooperation with major partners such as the US, Japan, India, and the Philippines to enhance its maritime defense capabilities. Source: BBC Vietnamese