China Sends Firm Message: Combat Readiness Patrol at Huangyan Island, Nullifies Philippines’ Illegal Claims

The Southern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and Air Force conducted a combat readiness patrol on Saturday in the waters and airspace around Huangyan Island. This patrol sends a clear message of China’s unwavering stance on safeguarding its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Beijing. The Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted a combat readiness patrol involving naval and air forces on Saturday in the territorial waters and airspace of Huangyan Island (Scarborough Shoal) and its surrounding areas. This information was disclosed in a statement published on the Theater Command’s official WeChat account.

In a video released by the PLA Southern Theater Command, an H-6K bomber equipped with YJ-12 anti-ship missiles, the Type 055 large destroyer ‘Xianyang’, and other PLA warplanes and warships can be seen.

According to the statement, Huangyan Island is China’s inherent territory. Since January, the Theater Command has continuously strengthened naval and air patrols in the waters and airspace around the island, resolutely countering provocations and infringements by certain countries in the region. This has firmly safeguarded China’s national sovereignty and security, and maintained peace and stability in the South China Sea.

As shown in a schematic map released by ‘Yuyuantantian’, a social media account affiliated with China’s state broadcaster CCTV citing sources, after H-6K bombers and fighter jets from the PLA Southern Theater Command flew into the airspace over China’s Huangyan Island in formation, they conducted a patrol towards the southeastern sector.

Yuyuantantian pointed out that public information shows the Philippines recently designated a military exercise zone that includes Huangyan Island within its control area, covering China’s territorial waters and airspace and seriously infringing on China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights—an entirely illegal act. By organizing military aircraft to pass through the area designated by the Philippines, the PLA Southern Theater Command demonstrated China’s effective jurisdiction over the territorial waters and airspace of Huangyan Island, rendering the Philippine-designated exercise zone null and void.

Earlier, when asked to comment on media reports that the Philippines had issued a navigational warning announcing the designation of a large-scale exercise zone in the South China Sea from January 21 to March 31, Jiang Bin, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, said at a Thursday press conference, “Huangyan Island is China’s inherent territory. The Philippine side is delusional in attempting to carry out infringement and provocation under the guise of exercises, deliberately creating tensions at sea.”

The spokesperson stated, “We are strongly dissatisfied with and firmly oppose it, and have lodged solemn representations with the Philippine side. China will firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with the law, and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.”