Southern Theater Command Releases: Joint Naval and Air Exercises; Expert Analysis: Defending Territorial Sovereignty and Maintaining Peace and Justice in the South China Sea

[Global Times - Global Network Report by reporter Guo Yuandan] On the 27th, the Southern Theater Command announced that on that day, the People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command organized a joint maritime and air exercise around Huangyan Island.

The announcement stated that this was a necessary action in response to the current actions of certain countries that undermine regional peace and stability, aimed at testing and enhancing the troops' combat capabilities in maintaining national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.

Professor Zhang Chi from the National Defense University analyzed to the Global Times reporter on the 27th that this joint exercise has two backgrounds: on one hand, the Philippines relies on external forces to create disturbances at sea, infringing and provoking, and betraying trust, thereby undermining regional peace and stability; on the other hand, three days ago, the Philippines, disregarding China's advice, unilaterally sent supply ships to illegally support the grounded BRP Sierra Madre at Second Thomas Shoal.

Zhang Chi stated, "The Philippines' reliance on external forces to create disturbances at sea will only escalate tensions in the South China Sea and harm the common interests of regional countries. They are undoubtedly troublemakers and peace destroyers."

Recently, the Philippines has rallied some countries to organize a real-force exercise for the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Expanded Meeting's maritime security expert group, with the exercise area located near China's Huangyan Island.

In response, Zhang Chi stated, "Huangyan Island is an inherent territory of China, and the territorial scope of the Philippines is defined by a series of international treaties, with Huangyan Island lying outside its territorial scope. This time, the Philippines, taking advantage of its role as a co-chair of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Expanded Meeting's maritime security expert group, completely disregarded the principle of consensus and coerced relevant countries to conduct joint military exercises in the air and sea near China's Huangyan Island. This is essentially a farce disguised as security cooperation, provoking and inciting against China."

Additionally, on September 24, the Philippines, betraying trust and disregarding China's advice, unilaterally sent supply ships to illegally support the grounded BRP Sierra Madre at Second Thomas Shoal.

"The Philippines has taken provocative actions and incited propaganda during China's festive period. Such malicious actions seriously violate the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and severely undermine peace and stability in the South China Sea region," Zhang Chi said.

Zhang Chi further analyzed, "In fact, peace and stability in the South China Sea require mutual respect and consultation among regional countries. Forming cliques and introducing external forces will only backfire. The facts have repeatedly proven that attempts to provoke trouble with the help of external forces will ultimately only lead to being used as a tool; 'relying on external forces to create disturbances at sea' is not worth the loss, and 'inviting wolves into the house' will ultimately backfire."

Regarding China's organization of this joint exercise, Zhang Chi stated, "It is both justified and necessary." He emphasized that the organization of joint maritime and air exercises by the Southern Theater Command around Huangyan Island is legitimate, professional, and standardized, representing a necessary action to defend national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, as well as a just act to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea region.