Chinese Warships Shadow U.S. and Allies in South China Sea

Three Chinese warships shadowed a maritime drill involving the Philippine, Australian, Canadian, and U.S. navies, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported Wednesday.

Two of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy Type 056 Jiangdao-class corvettes and a Type 054A Jiangkai II-class frigate were observed monitoring the international flotilla, according to USNI News. The daily news service of the U.S. Naval Institute reported that sailors were told not to take personal cellphones onto their ship’s flight deck due to the Chinese presence.

The two days of training, designed to “enhance interoperability and cooperation,” took place within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. An EEZ extends 230 nautical miles (200 miles) beyond a country’s coast, granting that nation the sole right to natural resources within that area under international law.

Participating vessels included the Philippine missile-guided frigate Jose Rizal and patrol vessel Ramon Alcaraz, the Canadian Halifax-class frigate HMCS Montreal, and the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser Lake Erie. Australia also sent a Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopter for the exercise.

The crews carried out pre-sail briefings, communication exercises, cross-deck landing operations, anti-submarine warfare drills, contact reporting, and other exercises, per a statement from the AFP.

In a joint statement released by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Wednesday, participating countries highlighted their “collective commitment to strengthening regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

The statement asserted the countries’ prerogative to “uphold the right of freedom of navigation and overflight, and other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace,” as well as maritime rights in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The statement also reaffirmed the 2016 award handed to the Philippines by an international tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, describing it as “a final and legally binding decision on the parties to the dispute.” Beijing refused to take part in the proceedings and maintains the award is illegal.

Meanwhile, the Chinese navy’s Southern Theater Command announced Wednesday and Thursday that its forces had been patrolling near contested Scarborough Shoal, a fishing ground China effectively seized from the Philippines in 2012.

“Any military activity attempting to stir up trouble in the South China Sea, create a hotspot issue, or break regional peace and stability will be monitored,” the statement said.

The Chinese embassy in the Philippines didn’t immediately respond to a written request for comment.

A ship believed to be a Chinese warship was spotted while apparently observing a Japanese-Philippine naval exercise last week. Maritime expert Collin Koh wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that based on photos shared by Japan, the vessel appears to have been a Type 056 corvette.

Beijing’s maritime claims, which extend to most of the South China Sea, overlap with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Taiwan. The Philippines has been pushing back against China’s sweeping claims under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has vowed not to yield “one inch.”

Chinese maritime forces have been increasingly forceful, using water cannons and conducting close maneuvers to intercept Philippine ships, drawing condemnation from the U.S. and several European and Asian allies. Several Philippine troops were injured in June after China intercepted a supply convoy en route to a contested Philippine military outpost at Second Thomas Shoal.

In July, the Philippines and China reported reaching an understanding over supply missions to the disputed outpost at Second Thomas Shoal. However, statements from both countries suggest differing interpretations of the agreement, which has not been publicly shared.

The Southeast Asian country has also moved to deepen cooperation with the U.S., its Mutual Defense Treaty ally, as well as Australia, Canada, Vietnam, Japan, and other Asia-Pacific countries.

Last month, the Washington announced $500 million in military funding for the Philippines to help with its external defense.