China holds naval and air drills near Scarborough Shoal

China sent maritime vessels and aircraft in a display of firepower as it held drills near the contested Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, weeks after friction with Philippine vessels.

Screengrab from China Daily’s Facebook page.

Manuel Mogato | August 4, 2026

BEIJING — China sent maritime vessels and aircraft in a display of firepower as it held drills near the contested Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, weeks after friction with Philippine vessels.

In late July, Chinese Coast Guard vessels fired water cannons at several Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels while delivering fuel and food to local fishermen near the disputed shoal.

“This is a necessary action taken in light of the current situation in the South China Sea and in response to the acts of certain countries within the region that have undermined regional peace and stability,” according to the People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theater Command.

The Philippines and China are locked in a territorial dispute over the resource-rich coral shoal, which Beijing seized control of following a standoff with the Philippine Navy in 2012.

The French news agency reported that Chinese state broadcaster CCTV aired footage of two warships patrolling the seas and a plane taking off from an airport to the soundtrack of patriotic pop music.

The Chinese Coast Guard also held a separate exercise near the reef, focusing on operations that included “search and seizure, interdiction of forced entry, and forced towing.”

In a statement, it said it would “resolutely safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.”

In Manila, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it is aware of the drills, but it will not alter the Philippines’ rights over Bajo de Masinloc, which is within the country’s 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Retired Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, said the military has been monitoring and tracking Chinese activities near Bajo de Masinloc.

“Military activities or demonstrations do not alter the legal status of maritime features or the Philippines’ maritime entitlements under international law,” Trinidad said.

Trinidad said the military’s commitment to protecting the country’s territory, including in the West Philippine Sea.

“We remain committed to performing our mandate of protecting our territory and safeguarding our maritime rights and interests, consistent with the 2016 Arbitral Award, UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), and our national interest,” he added. (Also read: Philippine, Chinese FMs meet at sidelines of ASEAN Ministerial Meeting)

The landmark arbitral award nullified China’s excessive claim in the South China Sea, affirming the Philippines’ rights in the disputed waters. (Also read: Think tank lauds growing global support of 2016 arbitral ruling)

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a strategic waterway where $3 trillion in trade passes annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam also have conflicting claims.