The US military is reportedly planning to deploy new land-based intermediate-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region to "defend" the island of Taiwan, a move that "has limited tactical impact" at present but fully demonstrates the US' determination to interfere in the Taiwan question, observers said on Monday.
Live-fire drills and training exercises conducted by the Chinese military force along the Chinese side of the China-Myanmar border are defensive and aimed at safeguarding Chinese sovereignty, stability of border area and safety of personnel from impacts caused by the civil war in Myanmar, rather than an act to intervene in the internal affairs of the neighboring country, experts said on Sunday.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is at high vigilance amid continuous provocations by foreign forces from the sea, displaying its high level of readiness, capabilities and determination in safeguarding China's national sovereignty, safety and maritime rights, experts said on Sunday.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command announced on Saturday that it will conduct a series of real combat training and drills along the Chinese side of the China-Myanmar border, which is aimed to test the rapid maneuverability, border sealing and firepower capabilities of locally positioned troops.
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command has monitored and has been on guard against the activities of the Australian frigate the Toowoomba while it transited the Taiwan Straits on Thursday, and the situation is under control, according to information from sources.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) was at the scene and on high alert when the US and Philippines launched a joint patrol in the South China Sea on Tuesday, with experts saying on Thursday that the PLA's presence deterred potential provocations and displayed China's capabilities in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and maritime interests.
An ongoing military exercise hosted by China and joined by five Southeast Asian countries has entered its actual combat phase. Participated by ground, maritime and aviation forces, the drills will comprehensively enhance participants' interoperability and trust, experts said on Thursday.
China on Wednesday warned the US and the Philippines that their recent joint naval patrols near Chinese territorial waters should not harm China's sovereignty and maritime interests, with analysts saying the military activities by Washington and Manila showed the two countries have no sincerity to ease tension.
US media on Monday claimed that the era of total US submarine dominance over China is ending, a move Chinese experts said on Tuesday is yet another hype of the “China threat” theory motivated by the US hegemonic mentality.
Australia's claims about a recent interaction between Chinese and Australian warships are completely inconsistent with the facts, said a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense on Monday.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) deployed a new type of anti-drone gun during an ongoing multinational joint exercise with Southeast Asian countries, as China looks to address threats from small drones that have become common in recent conflicts around the globe, analysts said on Monday.
China-developed global pioneering two-wing vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) was unveiled at the 25th China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF), which was concluded on Sunday in China's tech hub of Shenzhen. It can realize takeoff and landing in vertical state, and can fly at normal level after taking off, China Central Television reported.
Chinese experts on Sunday refuted accusations from Australia claiming that a Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) destroyer used sonar to force divers from an Australian frigate to exit the water, saying that the Australian statement is vague and one-sided, and aims to hype the "China threat" theory.
Amid an ongoing joint exercise, Chinese and Pakistani naval warships are for the first time conducting a joint maritime patrol in the northern Arabian Sea, a move experts said on Thursday is part of the two countries' concrete actions to safeguard the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
A 10,000 ton-class large destroyer newly commissioned into the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) earlier in 2023 recently carried out a combat-oriented exercise in the South China Sea, displaying its rapid capability generation in defending national sovereignty, security and maritime rights amid tensions in the region, analysts said on Wednesday.
The recruitment, selection methods, and training models for naval aviation cadets have been continuously expanded and optimized, gradually forming a distinctive recruitment and selection model for carrier-based aircraft pilots, according to the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's aviator recruitment work conference held on Tuesday. At the same time, the selection and training of carrier-based aircraft pilots have achieved remarkable results.
A wide selection of Chinese defense products, including fighter jets and drones, are on offer to international customers at an ongoing aviation expo in the Middle East. Military experts expect Arab countries to show a strong interest in weapons and equipment from China amid restrictions from other suppliers.
Japan's Defense Ministry has decided to fast-track the deployment of an upgraded version of its Ground Self-Defense Force's anti-ship missile, Japanese media outlets have recently revealed. Chinese military observers warned Monday that the early deployment reflects the expansion of Japan's military ambitions and will inevitably undermine peace and stability in the region, plunging it into a major crisis and a vicious arms race.
China will hold a joint military exercise with five Southeast Asian countries this month, with experts saying on Sunday that the move is conducive to the safeguarding of regional peace and stability amid repeated provocations by the Philippines over Chinese islands and reefs in the South China Sea.
The largest-ever joint exercise between the Chinese and Pakistani navies began in Pakistan on Saturday as the two countries continue to enhance their capabilities in jointly safeguarding strategic sea lanes as well as regional peace and stability, experts said on Sunday.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army is believed to have commissioned a type of tactical ballistic missile, which made its public debut during a recent exercise, according to observers.
China for the first time displayed a live-fire missile launch by a J-20 stealth fighter jet in a celebration video released on Friday, a day ahead of the 74th founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force.
J-10C fighter jets of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force's Bayi Aerobatic Team have arrived in the UAE to participate in the upcoming Dubai Airshow next week, as China looks to deepen defense cooperation with countries in the Middle East, analysts said on Thursday. After traveling more than 7,000 kilometers from China, seven J-10C fighter jets arrived in Dubai on Wednesday to participate in the 18th Dubai Airshow scheduled to be held from Monday to November 17, the PLA Air Force said in a press release on Thursday.
The aircraft carrier Shandong of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Thursday made a transit in the Taiwan Straits immediately after having completed a far sea exercise in the West Pacific, in a move that observers said deters secessionists on the island of Taiwan and the external interference forces.
Chinese experts slammed recent reports by a US think tank and media outlets on Wednesday, criticizing them for once again hyping China's overseas military bases. They argued that these speculations are self-contradictory and untenable.
The Philippines and Japan hope to hold a joint exercise under a new bilateral security pact next year, which Chinese experts said on Wednesday is a dangerous plan that could pose several threats to regional peace and stability.
The Shandong carrier strike group of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly returned to the South China Sea on Monday after having held its third far sea exercise of the year in the West Pacific, in which the carrier doubled the record of its aircraft sortie rates and demonstrated its increasing capabilities in fending off potential external interference attempts and provocations, experts said on Tuesday.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently organized a day-and-night live-fire exercise off the coast of East China's Fujian Province for multi-type helicopters carrying multi-type munitions, including a newly debuted airborne rocket launcher.
Canada has repeatedly hyped up "dangerous" interceptions by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently, but experts said on Sunday that the PLA's lawful actions took place on China's doorstep, and that Canada's blind confidence could lead to troubles of its own.
China urges Canada not to disregard the facts, stop hyping up the matter, and strictly restrict the action of frontline air and sea forces to prevent air and sea accidents, Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, responded to Canada's recent claims of "unsafe interceptions" by Chinese military jets.
China and the US will hold arms control and non-proliferation consultations at the director-general's level in Washington DC next week. The Chinese delegation will be led by the head of the Department of Arms Control of China's Foreign Ministry, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular press briefing on Thursday.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) lawfully dealt with a transit by US and Canadian warships in the Taiwan Straits on Wednesday. This comes at a time when the US has deployed two aircraft carriers near China in its attempt to maintain hegemony amid global security tensions, experts said on Thursday.
An ongoing drill by the aircraft carrier Shandong of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy near the island of Taiwan was reportedly joined by additional aviation and naval forces over the past few days, as the PLA continues to enhance its capabilities beyond the first island chain.
The most important task for the coming decade for all security leaders is to avoid physical conflict in Asia, according to the Singaporean defense minister in a speech delivered at the 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on Tuesday.
The three-day 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum entered its second day on Monday with a keynote speech delivered by General Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, who invited all parties to implement the Global Security Initiative to achieve the theme of the forum, "Common Security, Lasting Peace," and urged countries to make efforts to eliminate war chaos amid the Russian-Ukraine and the Palestine-Israel conflicts.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) blocked a Philippine warship that trespassed into waters off China's Huangyan Dao (Huangyan Island) on Monday, amid escalated provocations by the Philippines around Chinese islands and reefs in the South China Sea, observers said.
The Chinese military will never tolerate and will be relentless against anyone who dares to split Taiwan from China in any way, General Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), said on Monday.
The 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum kicked off on Sunday with representatives from a record-breaking number of countries, regions and international organizations gathering in the Chinese capital to attend the meeting themed "Common Security, Lasting Peace."
China recently organized the country's largest comprehensive emergency rescue aviation exercise, demonstrating the systematic achievements in its independent aviation emergency rescue equipment field in recent years and verifying the results of tactics research, scientific innovation, equipment development and actual application.
The recently released US report on China's military development disregards facts, fabricates stories, uses vague rhetoric, misinterprets China's defense policy and military strategy, and hypes the non-existent “Chinese military threat,” according to a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson.
An upcoming major security forum in Beijing will host a record-breaking number of participants from around the globe as China's views on global security win the hearts of many, experts said on Tuesday.
President Xi Jinping signed a presidential decree Tuesday to remove Li Shangfu as China's State Councilor and Minister of National Defense.
China's deployment of warships in the Middle East is part of the country's routine escort mission and friendly visits to the region, not an interference in the current Israel-Palestine conflict, Chinese analysts said after some Western media outlets started hyping China's navy deployment in the region.
Recent US aircraft carrier operations in the South China Sea encouraged the Philippines in its escalated provocations over Chinese islands and reefs in the region, with experts saying on Monday that the US again demonstrated its role as a troublemaker in the region.
Philippine vessels on Sunday dangerously approached Chinese vessels which led to bumps during the China Coast Guard's (CCG) interception on their rights-infringing trespasses in waters off China's Ren'ai Jiao, also known as Ren'ai Reef, in the South China Sea, with experts warning of more aggressive Philippine provocations that could lead to more serious collisions.
The US is shifting blame, hyping and fabricating the non-existent "Chinese military threat," which is a premeditated attack and smear against China, with undisclosed political motives behind it, said Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense. China firmly opposes this and has lodged solemn representations with the US, Zhang said in response to US defense officials' claims about "provocative actions" by China's military aircraft over the East China Sea and South China Sea.
The US' "China Military Power report," like its previous editions, ignores the facts and is filled with bias, spreading the "China threats" theory which only serves as an excuse to maintain its military hegemony, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday, in response to a Pentagon report that warned Beijing is building up its nuclear and long-range missiles arsenal "faster than previous projections."
A Canadian CP-140 plane illegally entered China's airspace over the country's Chiwei Islet and approached the near sea area in East China and the Taiwan Straits multiple times recently. The Chinese Air Force has dealt with the matter in full accordance with the law, Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Wu Qian said on Wednesday
China and India are effectively managing the risk of another border conflict, experts said on Thursday, after the two countries held, earlier this week, the 20th round of corps commander level meetings where they agreed to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas as the two sides continue to work out a mutually acceptable solution on the issue.
Ongoing regular maintenance for China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, has entered the final stages as the ship has recently exited dry dock, with analysts saying on Wednesday that the carrier is expected to return to active service within the year with enhanced combat capabilities.
The China Coast Guard (CCG) expelled a gunboat of the Philippine Navy that intruded into waters off China's Huangyan Dao (also known as Huangyan Island) in the South China Sea on Tuesday,
China and Saudi Arabia on Monday kicked off a joint naval special operations exercise in South China, with experts saying on Tuesday that the two countries have made such joint drills routine in a move to boost military cooperation as well as safeguard peace and stability.
A China Coast Guard spokesperson said a Philippine Navy gunboat intruded into the waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Island on Tuesday disregarded repeated warnings. China Coast Guard vessels took necessary measures, such as tracking and controlling the ship's route, to drive away the Philippine vessel after multiple verbal warnings were ineffective. The on-site operations were professional, standardized, and lawful.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently organized some of its most powerful warships to conduct a series of naval drills across several regions in the South China Sea, a move experts said on Monday displays China's capabilities in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity amid a US and Philippine joint exercise allegedly targeting Chinese islands and reefs.
The ongoing multilateral military exercises featuring the US and Philippine navies in the South China Sea and the Philippines' continued provocations against China could lead to a military escalation to the tensions that will backfire on the Philippines, experts said on Saturday.
Despite having to hide its munitions in an internal weapons bay to achieve a high level of stealth, China's J-20 stealth fighter jet can still launch missiles under extreme battlefield environments, bringing tactical advantages in combat, the chief test pilot of the aircraft revealed recently.
The frequent participation of drones in the Chinese People's Liberation Army's (PLA) routine exercises around the island of Taiwan highlighted the PLA's high level of unmanned capabilities and combat preparedness, experts said on Friday, after the defense authority on the island of Taiwan recently "spotted," for the first time, yet another type of PLA drone, the GJ-2.
Japan will start procuring Tomahawk cruise missiles from the US in fiscal year 2025, a year earlier than initially planned, Japan's defense minister Minoru Kihara announced on Wednesday at a press event in Washington after holding his first face-to-face talks with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin, the Kyodo News reported. Chinese military observers warned that if Japan intends to target other countries, it will also be included in the scope of potential counterstrikes. Moreover, the US' plan to deploy Tomahawk cruise missiles on its allies in the Asia-Pacific region, targeted at China, is an underestimation, and will ultimately be futile.
The Philippines' claim about having removed blocking nets set by the China Coast Guard (CCG) at Huangyan Dao (Huangyan Island) in the South China Sea is purely fabricated, said a CCG spokesperson.
The Philippines said it has removed the "floating barrier" China deployed near Huangyan Dao (Huangyan Island) in the South China Sea, a claim questioned by experts who on Tuesday also said that such hype does not fit the national interest of the Philippines, but that of the US.
The island of Taiwan's submarine deployment plan to block the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) from entering the Pacific Ocean is daydreaming, experts said on Monday, ahead of the scheduled launch of the island's first "indigenous" submarine later this week.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly conducted a ground exercise on the mainland side of the Taiwan Straits on Sunday, as the defense authority on the island of Taiwan became aware of the participation of long-range rockets, conventional missiles and amphibious troops in the PLA drills around the island in addition to previously detected aircraft and vessels.
The US is reportedly in talks with Vietnam on offering the country F-16 fighter jets after the two countries upgraded their diplomatic ties earlier this month, but experts said on Sunday that the potential deal, serving the US' hegemonic goals of containing China, would stir up troubles that sabotage peace and stability in the region, and that Vietnam will not easily accept that.
A Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) naval vessel recently rescued two Philippine fishermen, said Chinese authorities.
The newly unveiled KVD002 armed reconnaissance drone of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army has likely participated in patrols and exercises around the island of Taiwan since 2022, identified then as the CH-4, analysts said on Thursday.
With the return of participating Pakistani forces to their home country on Tuesday, China and Pakistan successfully wrapped up the Shaheen-X joint air exercise in Northwest China, with observers on Wednesday predicting more military interactions and exchanges that will further deepen pragmatic cooperation between the "Iron Brothers."
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force's Y-9 medical rescue aircraft for the first time participated in a mission abroad during the ongoing military medical services exercise between China and Cambodia in Phnom Penh, with analysts saying that China has built a multidimensional battlefield medical aid system that can offer international public security goods.
Chinese experts warned on Monday that the possible multinational joint patrols led by the US in the South China Sea will pose a great risk to peace and stability, and they called for regional issues to be decided by regional countries through consultation, not by external forces.
A record-breaking more than 100 aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) were spotted around the island of Taiwan within 24 hours on Sunday and Monday. The sightings, which came after 20 PLA vessels, also broke their respective record last week. Experts say this shows that PLA exercises around the Taiwan island have reached a new level.
Several of China's domestically developed engines for helicopters and drones made their debuts at the four-day 6th China Helicopter Exposition that wrapped up in North China's Tianjin on Sunday, displaying the country's independent efforts to power all types of aircraft.
With the return of the Shandong aircraft carrier group and other warships, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has seemingly wrapped up its five-day blitz exercise around the island of Taiwan, which analysts said on Saturday was characterized by its large scale, joint operations and short duration in what could be a new tactic.
From joint military drills and arms sales to defense dialogues, the US and South Korea are increasingly enhancing their military alliance, as the two countries commemorate the 73rd anniversary of the Incheon Landing operation in the Korean War (1950-53), shrugging off opposition from North Korea.
China debuted some of its latest helicopter technology at an expo that opened on Thursday, including a type of armed reconnais-sance drone that can work with helicopters and a type of hybrid power assault vehicle that can fit into a wide-body helicopter.
At an upcoming helicopter expo on Thursday, China is set to unveil a type of fully electric hexarotor aircraft that can switch between manned and unmanned modes for multiple types of missions. On Wednesday, a top chopper designer noted that new energy and intelligent technology could greatly change helicopters and their applications.
A large naval task force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly entered the West Pacific on Monday in a likely move to join forces with the aircraft carrier Shandong in the region and form what observers said on Tuesday could be an unprecedentedly large carrier group.
China's aircraft carrier Shandong reportedly sailed past the island of Taiwan and entered the West Pacific on Monday for its second far sea exercise of the year, two days after US and Canadian warships made a provocative transit in the Taiwan Straits.
China recently conducted multiple military exercises with countries including Thailand, Singapore and Pakistan that enhanced joint operational capabilities and deepened friendship, and by comparison, concurrent US and Canadian provocations in the Taiwan Straits and Philippine's trespassing in the South China Sea were insignificant, experts said on Sunday.
A special strategic semi-submersible ship of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy recently conducted its first nighttime operation training, a move analysts said on Sunday reflects the vessel's round-the-clock combat capability.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for comprehensively enhancing the troops' combat readiness during an inspection of a group army headquartered in the country's northeast.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army will for the first time display some of its latest helicopters and drones at an upcoming national helicopter expo, highlighting the integrated operation capabilities between manned and unmanned equipment.
The US Department of Defense announced on Wednesday local time a new security assistance package valued at up to $175 million for Ukraine, including depleted uranium ammunition for previously committed Abrams tanks, with experts believing that US assistance will all be futile, as it will not turn the tide of the war and only cause enormous and long-term harm to the region.
The US sent a spy plane to China's coastal region for close-in reconnaissance just hours before the launch of a Chinese military exercise in the East China Sea on Wednesday, a move experts said on Thursday was provocative and could have led to misjudgments.
The US Navy will reportedly hold a rare, large-scale exercise on China's doorstep in the Yellow Sea that celebrates the anniversary of a battle in the Korean War (1950-53,) a move experts said on Wednesday is provocative and will escalate tensions in the Korean Peninsula, but it poses only a laughable threat from a military point of view.
The US recently conducted a joint naval sail with the Philippines in the South China Sea in an attempt analysts said on Tuesday aimed to escalate tensions between China and the Philippines which have eased recently over China's Ren'ai Jiao (also Ren'ai Reef) to tie Manila onto its chariot in confronting China.
The navies of China and Thailand are holding a joint exercise closely following joint drills by the armies and air forces of the two countries, and experts said on Sunday that these consecutive interactions will promote military cooperation, with a latest example being the Thai navy chief's approval of the use of a Chinese engine in a China-Thailand submarine deal.
Senior military officials from China and the US have held talks, China's Ministry of National Defense (MOD) said on Thursday, making it reportedly the first offline exchange between senior officials of the two militaries this year. Experts said whether the high-level contacts can be normalized depends on whether the US military can correct its wrongdoings and meet China halfway.
The US intends to keep creating the tension of the Taiwan question to provoke China rather than to ease the tension, analysts said on Thursday, as US President Joe Biden's administration has approved a military transfer to the island of Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing, or FMF, which is normally used for sovereign states.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has launched a new type of frigate, the Type 054B, China's Ministry of National Defense confirmed on Thursday.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently conducted an anti-submarine exercise that stretched for more than 40 hours and featured more than a dozen groups of anti-submarine patrol aircraft in the South China Sea, which is a region experts said is infested with foreign submarine activities that potentially threaten China's national defense.
The water quality and physiochemical properties collected at Yongshu Reef, Nansha Islands have been found to be similar to those of a natural salt marsh, meaning the Reef has a saline marsh with naturally grown vegetation.
Positive China-Africa cooperation can inject more stability into the world, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu said at the Third China-Africa Peace and Security Forum that kicked off on Tuesday in Beijing. Some defense officials and military officers from African countries also hailed the China-proposed Global Security Initiative (GSI), noting the deepened China-Africa cooperation could help tackle security challenges the continent is facing.
In a first since Pakistan inducted Chinese-made J-10CE fighters into its air force, the two countries kicked off a joint air exercise on Monday, with experts saying on Tuesday that the drill will further enhance exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries and contribute to regional peace and stability.
China reportedly launched the first hull of its new-generation frigate, allegedly designated the Type 054B, in Shanghai last week, with observers expecting it to be an advanced but also cost-effective versatile vessel for far sea operations.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently conducted another, unannounced large-scale joint exercise encircling the island of Taiwan featuring sudden actions and sophisticated buildups after the US approved a $500 million arms sale to the island.
With groups of people waving goodbye, China's naval hospital ship the Ark Peace sailed from Honiara Harbor on Saturday morning after it successfully concluded its weeklong visit and dispensing medical services to the Solomon Islands. Similar to its arrival, the shores were filled with crowds bidding farewell, with their sentiments toward the hospital ship evidently profound. For them, the opportunity to receive medical treatment aboard the Ark Peace was a rare one.
In the first joint exercises between the two countries, Australian and Filipino troops held drills on Friday near flashpoint South China Sea waters and plan to conduct more joint patrols at a time when tensions between China and the Philippines have been escalated.
The US recently approved a possible sale of infrared search and track (IRST) systems for F-16 fighter jets to the island of Taiwan in an apparent move to counter J-20 stealth fighter jets of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), which experts said on Thursday will prove to be futile.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command recently conducted a maritime strike and air-to-air combat exercise featuring newly enhanced fighter jets operating from an islet-based airfield. Organized by an aviation brigade affiliated with the navy of the PLA Southern Theater Command, the round-the-clock drill focused on the characteristics of the islet-based airfield, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Wednesday, without naming the islet.
A ship detachment of the Russian Pacific Fleet is visiting China following intensive interaction between the two countries' navies over the past month, which demonstrates a high level of mutual trust and military cooperation, experts said on Tuesday. The Russian warships made a port call in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, after the third China-Russia joint naval patrol of Pacific Ocean waters, Russia's Ministry of Defense said in a press release on Monday.
China Coast Guard (CCG) on Tuesday restricted Philippine vessels trespassing into waters near China's Ren'ai Jiao (also Ren'ai Reef) in the South China Sea but under humanitarian consideration, temporarily allowed the transport of food to the Philippines' “grounded” warship.