The official Weibo account of the PLA Southern Theater Command released a message on the morning of the 1st, stating that on that day, the People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command organized joint sea-air exercises in the territorial waters, airspace, and surrounding maritime and air areas of Huangyan Island. This is a necessary action in response to the current situation in the South China Sea and certain regional countries undermining peace and stability in the area, aiming to test and improve the troops' real-combat capabilities in safeguarding national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
This exercise is clearly targeted at the Philippines, and may be related to the upcoming five-day joint maritime exercise between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines in the South China Sea from July 21 to 25, as well as the Philippines’ move to designate a territorial baseline for Huangyan Island.
On July 30, the PLA Southern Theater Command and the Coast Guard also went to Huangyan Island and the surrounding maritime and air areas for patrol and inspection.
Philippine Establishment of "Territorial Baseline"
On the evening of the 31st, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement in response to the Philippines’ establishment of a so-called "territorial baseline" on Huangyan Island (referred to as Scarborough Shoal by the Philippines). The statement, titled "Statement Regarding the Republic of the Philippines' Establishment of So-Called 'Territorial Baseline' on China's Huangyan Island," declared that the Philippines' establishment of a so-called "territorial baseline" on China's Huangyan Island seriously infringes upon China's territorial sovereignty and gravely violates the Charter of the United Nations, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and other international laws. It is illegal, null and void. China firmly opposes and absolutely does not accept this.
Earlier this week, the Philippines submitted its official nautical chart of Huangyan Island to the United Nations, claiming that this move will help further clarify the maritime rights the Philippines enjoys under international law.
On July 31, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs stated that this chart was drawn in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, marking the normal baseline of Huangyan Island as well as the outer boundaries of its 12-nautical mile territorial sea and 24-nautical mile contiguous zone.