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The naval forces of the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted a routine patrol in the South China Sea from February 23 to 26. The Philippines co-opted countries outside the region to organize so-called joint patrols, disrupting peace and stability in the region, Senior Captain Zhai Shichen, spokesperson for the PLA Southern Theater Command, said in a statement on Friday.

Forces of the PLA Southern Theater Command will resolutely safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and firmly uphold regional peace and stability, the spokesperson said.

Zhai's remarks came after some media outlets reported that the navies of the Philippines, the US and Japan trained alongside each other in the South China Sea. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Friday claimed the recent week-long multilateral training showed the three nations' "growing depth" of maritime cooperation, the Philippines News Agency reported.

Constrained by its limited national strength, the Philippines has not only clung to the US to create trouble in the South China Sea, but has also sought to draw support from Japan, Chen Xiangmiao, a research fellow at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.

Reuters reported that the Philippines deployed its Antonio Luna frigate, helicopters and fighter jets in the joint drills. Japan deployed a P-3 Orion aircraft while the US sent guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey and a Poseidon plane.

Chen said while it may seem that the three countries have deployed military equipment for the so-called "joint patrols," there is nothing particularly special about the models on display.

Caption Jennifer Monforte of the Philippine Navy frigate Antonio Luna claimed that the drill was aimed at enhancing "the interoperability of our armed forces to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific," Philippine news site Inquirer.net reported on Friday.

Chen noted that under the pretext of safeguarding regional security and peace, the three nations' actions have in fact become the primary source of uncertainty in the South China Sea.

The Philippines also conducted similar provocative moves last month. Air Force Senior Colonel Tian Junli, spokesperson for the PLA Southern Theater Command, statedon January 27 that the PLA Southern Theater Command Navy conducted a routine patrol in the South China Sea from January 25 to 26. At that time, the Philippines co-opted countries outside of the region to organize so-called "joint patrols," disrupting peace and stability in the South China Sea.

As a maritime neighbor of China, the Philippines must refrain from letting the South China Sea issue become an obstacle to the development of China-Philippines relations, and avoid being ensnared in the strategic layout of the US, Chen said.