Unhappy with the Philippines' announcement of setting baselines at Scarborough Shoal (referred to as “Democracy Reef” by the Philippines), China has begun sustained military exercises in the area from Monday, carrying a strong deterrent message.
From the 3rd, China is conducting military training in parts of the South China Sea, lasting until the 8th.
On the 1st, the PLA’s Southern Theater Command already organized joint naval and air exercises in the territorial waters, airspace, and surrounding maritime and air areas of Scarborough Shoal.
The Sanya Maritime Safety Administration issued a navigation warning on the 1st: from the 3rd to the 7th, every day from 5 a.m. to midnight, and on the 8th from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., military training will take place in certain areas of the South China Sea, and entry is prohibited. Based on the published coordinates, the military training zone is in the offshore area south of Hainan Island, about 900 kilometers from Scarborough Shoal.
In addition, on the 2nd, the Chinese state media PLA Daily published an article under the byline “Jun Sheng,” stating that the PLA Southern Theater Command organized exercises on the 1st, “which is a necessary action in response to the current South China Sea situation and the acts of certain countries within the region that undermine peace and stability.”