PLA holds combat readiness patrols around hotly disputed South China Sea shoal

The Chinese military carried out combat readiness patrols in waters and airspace surrounding a hotly disputed South China Sea shoal on Friday, the latest in a series of exercises to reinforce its control of the area.

The People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theatre Command said on Saturday that it had been stepping up naval and air patrols around Scarborough Shoal – known as Huangyan Island in China – since January, strengthening its maritime and airspace control and management in the area.

“[These efforts are aimed at] resolutely safeguarding China’s national sovereignty and security, and maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea,” the command said.

Scarborough Shoal is a group of tiny, low-lying rocky islets in waters claimed and controlled by China.

But the shoal lies within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and is also claimed by the Southeast Asian country, where it is called Panatag Shoal.

On Friday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said China should respect the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction, and stop its “aggressive and coercive” behaviour in the West Philippine Sea – Manila’s name for South China Sea waters that lie within its EEZ.