South China Sea Photo: VCG

 

PLA Southern Theater Command organized a joint sea and air patrol in the South China Sea on Saturday, Senior Colonel Tian Junli, a spokesperson for the PLA Southern Theater Command, stated on Sunday, emphasizing that any military activities that stir up trouble in the South China Sea and create hotspot issues are fully under control.

In a statement released by the WeChat official account of the PLA Southern Theater Command, Tian said that the Philippines' act of rallying countries from outside the region to organize so-called joint patrols escalated security risks in the South China Sea and undermined regional peace and stability.

The Philippines and Japan conducted a joint maritime exercise Saturday in an area of the South China Sea, Kyodo News reported.

The troops of the theater command continue to maintain a high level of alert to resolutely defend the national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, Tian said.

Global Times