The Chinese military carried out patrols in the South China Sea on Saturday, as the Philippines and Japan held a joint drill in the disputed waters.
China’s People’s Liberation Army joint sea and air patrols were conducted by the Southern Theatre Command, its spokesman Senior Colonel Tian Junli said in a statement on Sunday.
The PLA patrols were a response to the Philippines-Japan joint maritime drills – their second since August – which Tian called a threat to regional peace.
“The Philippines has been courting countries outside the region to conduct so-called joint patrols, raising security risks in the South China Sea and undermining regional peace and stability,” Tian said in the statement.
He said PLA Southern Theatre Command troops would “remain on high alert” to safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.
“Any military activities that stir up trouble or create flashpoints in the South China Sea are fully under control,” he said.
