Chinese Military Holds Naval and Air Patrols In South China Sea as Tensions Mount
Jose Nino
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The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) carried out a routine patrol in the South China Sea from January 3, 2024 to January 4, 2024 in a move to allegedly protect national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. This comes in response to a United States-Philippines joint patrol in the area and the Philippines’ efforts to occupy disputed reefs in the region.
The Philippines, in tandem with the US, have ramped up tensions in the South China Sea that have compelled the Chinese People’s Liberation Army to respond with their own patrol operations in the region.
The PLA Southern Theater Command specifically mustered naval and air forces to carry out a regular patrol in the South China Sea from January 3 to 4, the PLA Southern Theater Command announced in a press release published on January 3.
“The troops of the theater command are on high alert so as to firmly safeguard national sovereign security and maritime rights and interests. Any military activities that upset the situation or create tension in the South China Sea are completely under control,” the press release stated.
Although the PLA Southern Theater Command did not specifically name the parties that could “upset the situation or create tension,” a Reuters report published on January 3 noted that the Philippines and the US kicked off a two-day joint patrol in the South China Sea on.
This is the second US-Philippines joint patrol executed since November 2023 and featured four vessels from the Philippine navy and four ships from the US Indo-Pacific command that are composed of an aircraft carrier, a cruiser and two destroyers, per the Reuters report.
There’s a clear attempt by the US to exploit tensions in Asia as a part of its broader confrontation with China in the South China Sea. In this case, the Philippines will be the sacrificial lamb as it will be used to stoke tensions with China.
Instead of trying to pursue a military confrontation with China, the US should try to limit immigration from China and decouple trade with it. That’s the America First way of addressing the China question.
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