China conducts naval, air patrols near Scarborough Shoal
China conducted naval and air patrols around the Scarborough Shoal on Saturday, amid heightened tensions in the disputed South China Sea, Chinese military officials said.
The China Southern Theater Command said the patrols were part of intensified combat-readiness operations in January, aimed at what it described as countering “infringement provocations” by countries in the region. Scarborough Shoal lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, though China also claims sovereignty over the area, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The Philippine Embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The patrols follow joint military exercises earlier this week by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States Armed Forces near the shoal, reported by Manila as the 11th such drill since November 2023, underscoring the growing strategic friction in the waterway.
By Aysel Mammadzada
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