China starts patrolling operations in South China Sea as US and allies conduct joint naval drills

Asia-Pacific, News, US April 8, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

China’s military announced on April 7, 2024, that it carried out air and sea patrols to assert control over all actions that “disturb the South China Sea”. China’s patrolling operations in the South China Sea are a reaction to naval drills conducted by the U.S., Japan, Australia, and the Philippines.

China has long-standing territorial disagreements with several Southeast Asian nations in the South China Sea, a critical maritime passage. Tensions, especially with the Philippines, have escalated since last year, leading to occasional clashes.

China’s patrolling operations in the region come at the same time as the naval defense forces from the United States, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines declared started their joint exercises in the sea aimed at protecting the rule of law and asserting the freedom of navigation and overflight in the region.

A first joint naval exercise involving the United States, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines, featuring anti-submarine warfare training, was taking place on the same day in the South China Sea as Beijing announced its patrolling operation.

A brief statement released by the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese military indicated that it had arranged patrols and asserted control over “all military actions that disturb the South China Sea and generate hotspots.” The statement did not refer to the United States or the ongoing joint exercises.

Similarly, the U.S. and its allies did not name China in their statement. However, the four nations reiterated their position that a 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Ruling, which rejected China’s broad claims in the region, remains conclusive and legally obligatory.

US, Japan, Philippine naval drills — ^{Japan Coast Guard Vessel Akitsushima (PLH 32), U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stratton (WMSL 752), Philippine Coast Guard vessels BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV 8301) and BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702) conduct a trilateral engagement in the South China Sea June 5, 2023. (Image Credit: U.S. Navy/Chief Petty Officer Brett Cote)}

The escalating tensions in the contested waters are anticipated to be a major focus when U.S. President Joe Biden convenes a summit with his Japanese and Philippine counterparts at the White House this week.

US-Japan-Philippine Summit

The Philippine’s Foreign Ministry indicated earlier this week that a trilateral summit between the leaders of the United States, Japan, and the Philippines will address recent incidents in the South China Sea.

U.S. President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. next week to discuss trilateral economic ties and the security situation of the Indo-Pacific region.

The upcoming summit, as the Philippines’ acting undersecretary for foreign affairs Hans Mohaimin Siriban clarified in a press conference, is not aimed at any specific country. However, the three nations have voiced concerns about China’s increasing assertiveness in the area.

“We can expect an alignment of views among the three countries on the recent incidents,” Siriban said, adding they are expected to come up with a “joint vision statement” on their diplomatic relations. He also added that Biden and Marcos will separately hold a bilateral meeting ahead of the trilateral summit.