South China Sea flashpoint returns as China and Philippines trade signals

China's military and coast guard conducted patrols near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on Sunday, a move that came shortly after the Philippines reiterated concerns about what it described as continuing security threats from Beijing.

According to a Reuters report, the patrols followed a five-day joint maritime exercise by Philippine and US forces near the same waters. The drills, which concluded on Saturday, were aimed at strengthening maritime security cooperation, improving interoperability and enhancing awareness of activities in the region.

The developments unfolded as defence ministers, military officials and policymakers gathered in Singapore for the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's leading security forum, where regional security issues and territorial disputes featured prominently in discussions.

China conducts air and sea patrols

According to the report, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) said that its naval and air units carried out combat-readiness patrols in the waters and airspace around Scarborough Shoal and nearby areas.

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The Southern Theatre Command described the operation as a response to what it called rights violations and provocative activities in the region.

Separately, China's coast guard said that it conducted law-enforcement patrols near the shoal and had taken action against vessels engaged in what it described as illegal activities during the month. Chinese authorities did not specify which countries or vessels were involved, the report said.

Scarborough Shoal, claimed by both China and the Philippines, is one of the most disputed features in the South China Sea. The area has repeatedly been the site of confrontations involving coast guard and fishing vessels from both countries.

Philippines highlights security concerns

The Philippine military said that its recent exercises with the US included visit-board-search-and-seizure operations and demonstrated both countries' commitment to strengthen defence ties and support a rules-based maritime order.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Singapore forum, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said that Manila continues to face significant territorial and political challenges from China despite a recent improvement in relations between Washington and Beijing following talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the report added.

Long-running maritime dispute

The Philippines and China have been involved in repeated standoffs in the South China Sea in recent years, occasionally resulting in vessel collisions and injuries.

China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea through its so-called "nine-dash line", a claim that overlaps with the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of several Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

In the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, an international tribunal found that China's expansive claims had no legal basis under international law.

Beijing has rejected the ruling and continues to assert its claims across much of the strategically important waterway.