China stages air-sea drills near disputed Scarborough Shoal

China’s military staged joint air-sea exercises on Aug. 1 in the territorial waters, airspace, and surrounding areas of Huangyan Island — the disputed South China Sea feature known internationally as Scarborough Shoal — the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command said. According to Xinhua News, the command described the exercises as “a necessary action” aimed at the current South China Sea situation and “individual regional countries undermining regional peace and stability,” and said they would test and improve troops’ ability to safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights.

The drills came on the anniversary of the PLA’s founding and days after the Philippines deposited a nautical chart with the United Nations drawing baselines around the shoal. Beijing has rejected those baselines as “illegal and invalid.” As AP News reported, the PLA Southern Theater Command said in a statement that “the so-called territorial sea baselines of Huangyan Dao designated by the Philippine side are illegal and invalid.”

Key developments

According to Lianhe Zaobao, the drills focused on practical-combat subjects including reconnaissance and early warning, deterrence patrols, sea-air control, and joint assault, testing air-sea coordination, rapid reinforcement, and system-of-systems capabilities. The same day, the China Coast Guard held a separate rights-protection and law-enforcement drill near the island, practicing boarding inspections, blocking and interception, and forcible towing of vessels.

Beijing also issued a new administration policy for the Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve, established in September 2025. A Reuters report said the policy bans unauthorized fishing, mining, and extraction of corals or giant clams, with violators held legally accountable. The China Coast Guard will set up regular patrols around the reserve to deal with illegal activities, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Escalating friction

The exercises are the latest flashpoint in a sharp escalation of China-Philippines disputes around the shoal, which is also claimed by the Philippines. In the weeks before Aug. 1, Chinese coast guard vessels used water cannons on Philippine government ships near the shoal, the Philippines accused Beijing of injuring a Filipino sailor, and Manila held joint maritime exercises with the United States and Japan. Beijing says Philippine actions infringe on China’s sovereignty, while Manila says it is upholding its maritime rights.

Analysis

Chen Xiangmiao, an expert at the China National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said in comments carried by Lianhe Zaobao’s Yuyuan Tiantan media brand that China “has in fact already effectively controlled Huangyan Island,” and that the drills, like combat-readiness patrols, will become routine. The exercise, he argued, is both a matter within China’s own rights and a warning to “some countries,” including the Philippines, that China’s will “absolutely cannot be challenged” and that “every measure has corresponding control capabilities.”

The choice of Aug. 1 — the anniversary of the PLA’s founding — adds a deliberate signal to the show of force. It also underscores how the dispute has evolved beyond coast guard actions into a broader military and legal contest, with China using administrative measures such as the nature reserve to reinforce its claim.

What’s next

With Beijing framing the exercises as routine sovereignty assertions and Manila vowing to defend its maritime rights, Scarborough Shoal is likely to remain a flashpoint. The coming weeks may show whether diplomatic channels can ease the friction, or whether the pattern of drills, patrols, and counter-moves continues to intensify.