Photo: Screenshot from the video released by the PLA Southern Theater Command on January 31, 2026

The Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) organized naval and air forces to conduct a combat readiness patrol on Saturday in the territorial waters and airspace of Huangyan Dao and surrounding areas, according to a statement published by the official WeChat account of the PLA Southern Theater Command on Saturday. 

An H-6K bomber armed with YJ-12 anti-ship missiles and the Type 055 large destroyer Xianyang among other PLA warplanes and warships are seen in a video released by the PLA Southern Theater Command.

Huangyan Dao is China's inherent territory. Since January, the theater command has continuously strengthened naval and air patrols in the waters and airspace around the island, resolutely countering provocations and infringements by individual countries in the region, firmly safeguarding China's national sovereignty and security, and maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea, according to the statement.

After H-6K bombers and fighter jets from the PLA Southern Theater Command flew into the airspace over China's Huangyan Dao in formation, they conducted a patrol toward the southeastern sector, according to a schematic map released by Yuyuantantian, a social media account affiliated with China's state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV), citing a source close to the matter. 

Public information shows that the Philippines recently designated a military exercise zone that includes Huangyan Dao within its control area, covering China's territorial waters and airspace and seriously infringing on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights — an entirely illegal act. By organizing military aircraft to pass through the area designated by the Philippines, the PLA Southern Theater Command demonstrated China's effective jurisdiction over the territorial waters and airspace of Huangyan Dao, rendering the Philippine-drawn exercise zone null and void, Yuyuantantian said. 

Earlier, when asked to comment on media reports that the Philippines had issued a navigational warning announcing the designation of a large-scale exercise zone in the South China Sea from January 21 to March 31, with the scope covering China's Huangyan Dao, Jiang Bin, a spokesperson for China's ministry of national defense, said at Thursday's press conference that Huangyan Dao is China's inherent territory, and the Philippine side is delusional in attempting to carry out infringement and provocation under the guise of exercises, deliberately creating tensions at sea. 

"We are strongly dissatisfied with and firmly oppose it, and have lodged solemn representations with the Philippine side. China will firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with the law, and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea," the spokesperson said.

Global Times