CHINA HOLDS MILITARY DRILL, WARNS PHILIPPINES AGAINST ‘PROVOKING INCIDENTS’

Sat 29 March 2025:

The Chinese military conducted routine patrols Friday in the South China Sea, according to a spokesperson.

Tian Junli from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command said the patrols occurred as the Philippines continued efforts to involve non-regional countries in “joint patrols” while promoting unlawful claims in the South China Sea.

He asserted that the actions have introduced destabilizing factors and threatened regional peace and stability.

“We warn the Philippine side against provoking incidents and engaging in actions that heighten tensions in the South China Sea,” said the spokesperson, adding that seeking external support would prove futile.

The drills came one day after US Defense Chief Pete Hegseth pledged support to Manila against alleged threats from “communist China.”

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The relationship between China and the Philippines has been deteriorating due to territorial disputes in the South China Sea, particularly over the Spratly Islands. The Philippines claims sovereignty over the islands, citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, while China insists on its historical rights to the area.

Tensions escalated in 2012 with the Scarborough Shoal standoff, where Chinese vessels prevented Philippine ships from arresting Chinese fishermen. The Philippines responded by filing an arbitration case against China in 2013.

Since then, relations have continued to sour, with the Philippines withdrawing from China’s Belt and Road Initiative in 2023. The current Philippine administration, under President Bongbong Marcos, has taken a harder stance against China, seeking to strengthen ties with the United States instead.

Trade and economic cooperation between the two nations have also been affected, with the Philippines restricting banana exports to China during times of geopolitical tension. Despite this, China remains the Philippines’ top trading partner.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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