Chinese navy patrols South China Sea, says Philippines creating ‘disturbances’

Audio By Carbonatix

BEIJING/MANILA (Reuters) -China’s navy conducted a patrol in the South China Sea on Tuesday, saying that the Philippines has been creating “disturbances”, as the Filipino and U.S. air forces conducted their own joint mission above the disputed waterway.

China, which claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, has been involved an increasingly tense stand-off with the Philippines in the waters there, as both seek to assert their sovereignty claims.

More than 14,000 Filipino and U.S. soldiers are participating in joint exercises which run from April 21 through May 9 for a “full battle test” in the face of shared regional security concerns. China has said the drills are provocative.

In a statement late on Tuesday, the Southern Theatre Command of China’s People’s Liberation Army said its forces had that same day carried out “routine” patrols in the South China Sea, without giving an exact location.

“Recently, the Philippines has been frequently carrying out maritime infringement provocations, creating disturbances and pulling in countries from outside the region to organise so-called ‘joint patrols’,” it said in a statement.

The command’s naval and air forces have monitored the situation and maintained vigilance, it added.

“Troops in the theatre of operations are maintaining a high level of alert, resolutely defending the country’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and resolutely safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea region.”

The Philippine military, in its own statement late on Tuesday, said the Philippines and U.S. air forces had conducted a joint patrol over the South China Sea that day as part of ongoing defence cooperation.

The maritime patrol involved three FA-50 fighter jets from the Philippine Air Force, along with two U.S. B-1B bombers, two F-16s and an F-18.

Responding in a separate statement to the Chinese military’s comments, the Philippines military said the armed forces stand firm in exercising their sovereign rights and partnerships with allies like the United States that reflect shared values.

“The conduct of joint exercises and maritime domain awareness operations within our territorial waters and exclusive economic zone is not a provocation – it is preparedness,” it said.

“To be clear: the Philippines is a sovereign state. No foreign power can dictate how we defend our home or with whom we stand in solidarity.”

(Reporting by Beijing newsroom and Karen Lema; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Christopher Cushing)