China’s military carries out joint air and naval combat drills and patrols around Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, according to the People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command. In a statement, the command says the exercise involves coordinated air and maritime activities near the disputed shoal. The drills are described as part of efforts to test combat readiness and to safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty amid continuing disputes in the region.
Separately, China also announces regulatory and enforcement steps related to nearby areas. It issues new regulations for the Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve, and it says the China Coast Guard will increase patrols and law enforcement activities. Together, the announcements indicate heightened operational activity around contested maritime zones.
The reports describe these developments as occurring in the context of ongoing territorial tensions in the South China Sea, where Scarborough Shoal remains disputed.
