Tensions Surge in South China Sea Amid Patrols
China's military recently conducted routine patrols in the contested South China Sea, drawing criticism from the Philippines. Meanwhile, the Philippine and Indian navies undertook their first joint sail in this strategically significant area, highlighting rising regional tensions and overlapping territorial claims among several countries.
- Country:
- China
China's military has carried out routine patrols in the disputed South China Sea, according to a spokesperson for the Southern Theatre Command on Monday. The drills, conducted between August 3 and 4, come amidst escalating tensions in the region.
In a move seen as a countermeasure, the Philippines announced that its navy, in collaboration with the Indian navy, undertook a joint sail in these contested waters for the first time. This area is claimed by China almost in its entirety but overlaps with maritime zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
China described the joint patrol by the Philippines and India as a disruption to regional peace and stability, while the Philippine embassy in Beijing has yet to comment on these developments. The South China Sea remains a hotspot of geopolitical friction.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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