China conducts patrols around Scarborough Shoal and east of Taiwan amid Philippine‑US tensions

China’s People’s Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command and the Coast Guard carried out combat‑readiness and law‑enforcement patrols near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, a feature claimed by both China and the Philippines. The patrols were described by Beijing as a counter‑measure to “rights‑violation” activities and came a day after the Philippines warned it faced a “severe threat” from China despite a recent easing of U.S.–China tensions. The same week, the United States Coast Guard cutter USCGC Midgett and Philippine naval and coast‑guard vessels completed a five‑day Maritime Cooperative Activity in the West Philippine Sea, showcasing the U.S.–Philippines alliance.

In a separate but related development, China’s Coast Guard announced “law‑enforcement” patrols in waters east of Taiwan, responding to Japan and the Philippines’ plans to begin maritime‑boundary delimitation talks that overlap with areas claimed by China. Beijing labeled the talks “completely illegal, null and void.” Taiwan’s foreign ministry protested, asserting China has no right to interfere with its territorial sovereignty. The actions underscore escalating maritime tensions involving China, the Philippines, the United States, Japan and Taiwan.