Foreign forces meddle in the Philippines, China remains on high alert, and the PLA patrols the South China Sea for five consecutive days.

【Global Times Report by Reporter Guo Yuandan】In response to the Philippines' attempts to rally external countries to conduct so-called "bilateral air patrols" in the South China Sea, the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has organized naval and air forces to conduct routine patrols in the South China Sea for five consecutive days. Experts interviewed by the Global Times analyzed that the PLA has already achieved normalized patrols in the South China Sea, and the Southern Theater Command's continuous announcements of military actions in the region also indicate that under the command of the theater, naval, land, and air forces can transition from training to combat at any time to respond to emergencies. Especially with the Chinese New Year approaching, the Southern Theater Command's forces will be on high alert, ensuring that no attempts to undermine peace and stability in the South China Sea or infringe upon our sovereignty and maritime rights succeed.

On the 7th, Senior Colonel Zhai Shichen, spokesperson for the Southern Theater Command, stated that from February 2 to 6, the PLA Southern Theater Command organized naval and air forces to conduct routine patrols in the South China Sea. Zhai criticized the Philippines for rallying external countries to disrupt the South China Sea by organizing so-called "bilateral air patrols," which undermine regional peace and stability. He emphasized that the theater's troops maintain a high level of readiness to resolutely defend national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.

This is the third time in the past half month that the Southern Theater Command has announced military actions by naval and air forces in the South China Sea. On January 31, the Southern Theater Command organized naval and air forces to conduct combat readiness patrols in the territorial waters and airspace around China's Huangyan Island. From January 25 to 26, the Southern Theater Command's navy conducted routine patrols in the South China Sea. The PLA's actions are a response to the Philippine military's attempts to rally external countries for so-called "joint patrols." According to the Philippine military, the country's armed forces deployed air and naval forces near Huangyan Island in coordination with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command from January 25 to 26 for joint exercises.

Reports from the Southern Theater Command also indicate that since January, the theater's naval and air forces have continuously strengthened patrols and vigilance around the territorial waters of Huangyan Island, resolutely countering provocations and infringements by certain countries in the region, firmly safeguarding national sovereignty and security, and steadfastly maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. Military expert Zhang Junsha stated in an interview with the Global Times on February 8 that the Southern Theater Command's ongoing routine patrols in the South China Sea demonstrate the PLA's strong determination and capability to uphold sovereignty and maritime rights in the region.

Zhang Junsha noted that during the vigilance patrols, the Southern Theater Command's naval and air forces not only include countermeasures against infringements on our territorial waters and airspace around Huangyan Island by certain countries but also conduct tactical exercises to enable rapid counterattacks in the event of sudden attacks, covering multiple subjects such as air defense and anti-ship attacks. "From public reports, it can be seen that the air forces include H-6K bombers and fighter jets, primarily equipped with medium to long-range air-to-air missiles and long-range anti-ship missiles, with ranges varying from hundreds to over a thousand kilometers. The Chinese navy's destroyers and frigates also possess strong combat capabilities, with excellent regional air defense and anti-ship combat capabilities, equipped with air defense and anti-ship missiles with ranges of hundreds of kilometers, and some anti-ship missiles reaching nearly a thousand kilometers." Zhang Junsha stated that the PLA can pose a strong deterrent to provocative countries from a long distance.

Meanwhile, according to reports from AFP, the Philippines stated on the 6th that as the rotating chair of ASEAN in 2026, it will strive to accelerate negotiations on the "Code of Conduct in the South China Sea" and aim to reach an agreement within this year. Philippine Foreign Minister Lazaro stated at a forum in Singapore that ASEAN and China will increase the frequency of working group meetings from the current once every three months to once a month. Lazaro said, "This year we will work hard to complete the negotiations on the ASEAN-China Code of Conduct in the South China Sea."

"On one hand, the Philippines is rallying external forces to increase its leverage against China and to provoke infringements in the South China Sea, while on the other hand, it must also show a proactive stance in the construction of rules related to crisis management." Ding Duo, director of the Regional Country Studies Institute at the South China Sea Research Institute, told the Global Times reporter on the 8th, "This reflects an inherent conflict in the Philippines' deep self-identity positioning on the South China Sea issue: on one hand, it is deeply tied to the security strategies of external countries, undermining regional peace and stability, becoming an outlier among ASEAN countries. On the other hand, the Philippines wants to achieve something during its tenure as the rotating chair of ASEAN and showcase a leadership role." Ding Duo stated, "Such inconsistent words and actions will not win the genuine trust of China and ASEAN countries, nor will it be conducive to maintaining a positive atmosphere for the negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea."