South China Sea Exercises Coast Guard

[Bilingual] Ministry of National Defense: The Chinese Military Will Resolutely Counter Any Provocative Attempts to Stir Up Trouble at Sea

【双语】国防部：中国军队坚决反制任何闹海挑衅图谋

PLA Daily (解放军报) 7 August 2026

Summary

MND spokesperson Senior Colonel Chen Xi, on August 7, formally characterized the PLA Southern Theater Command's joint maritime and air exercises around Huangyan Dao — conducted after the Philippines deposited nautical charts with the UN — as a 'solemn warning' (严正警告) and 'necessary measure to defend sovereignty,' while the China Coast Guard simultaneously ran rights-protection enforcement drills in the same waters. The statement extends a now-established pattern of pairing CCG law-enforcement framing with PLA exercise pressure to reinforce China's claim that it alone may declare Huangyan Dao's territorial sea baselines. The explicit threat of 'firm and forceful countermeasures' against any 闹海挑衅 (provocative trouble-making at sea) is directed at Manila's UN chart deposit specifically, though the statement leaves the scale and composition of the Southern Theater Command exercise unreported.

Translation

Ministry of National Defense: The Chinese Military Will Resolutely Counter Any Provocative Attempts to Stir Up Trouble at Sea

MND: The Chinese Military Will Take Firm Countermeasures Against Any Provocative Attempts to Stir up Troubles

On the afternoon of August 7, Senior Colonel Chen Xi, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, released a statement on recent military-related issues.

Reporter: It is reported that after the Philippines deposited its so-called "official nautical charts of Huangyan Dao and its surrounding maritime zones" with the United Nations, the PLA Southern Theater Command organized joint maritime and air exercises in the territorial waters, territorial airspace, and surrounding maritime and air space of Huangyan Dao, and the China Coast Guard also organized rights-protection law-enforcement and control drills in the waters near Huangyan Dao. The spokesperson for the Philippine National Maritime Council stated that any drills conducted by the Chinese side in this area are deemed "illegal acts" by the Philippine side. What is your comment?

Question: It's reported that after the Philippines deposited its so-called official nautical chart of Huangyan Dao and its surrounding maritime zones with the UN, the PLA Southern Theater Command conducted joint exercises in the territorial waters and airspace of Huangyan Dao as well as its surrounding areas. The China Coast Guard also carried out law-enforcement training in relevant waters. The spokesperson for the Philippine National Maritime Council claimed that any drills conducted by the Chinese side in this area are deemed illegal. What's your comment?

Chen Xi: Huangyan Dao is China's inherent territory. China has continuously, peacefully, and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over Huangyan Dao, and is the only country entitled under international law to declare the baselines of the territorial sea of Huangyan Dao. The relevant actions of the Philippine side seriously infringe upon China's territorial sovereignty, seriously violate international law and the basic norms of international relations, and are illegal and null and void. China's organization of exercise and training activities constitutes a solemn warning against the Philippine side's rights-infringing and provocative conduct, and is a necessary measure to defend sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and China's rights and interests therein. It is entirely justified and lawful.

Chen Xi: Huangyan Dao is China's inherent territory. China has continuously, peacefully and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over Huangyan Dao, and is the only country entitled by international law to declare the baselines of the territorial sea of Huangyan Dao. Relevant actions of the Philippine side seriously violated China's territorial sovereignty, international law and the basic norms of international relations. They are illegal, null and void. Our exercises stand as a serious warning against violations and provocations by the Philippine side. These are necessary and legitimate measures to safeguard our sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and our rights and interests.

It must be pointed out that since its independence in 1946 to the present, the Philippines has on multiple occasions, under the banner of international law, expanded its claims of territory and jurisdictional maritime zones through domestic legislation, which has already aroused widespread wariness, resentment, and resolute opposition from neighboring countries around the South China Sea. We urge the Philippine side to immediately stop its illegal conduct infringing upon China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and to stop maritime provocations and trouble-making as well as incitement, propaganda, and hype. Against any scheme to make trouble at sea (闹海挑衅), provoke incidents, and manufacture trouble, the Chinese military will resolutely and forcefully counter it.

In fact, since its independence in 1946, the Philippines has expanded its claims of territory and jurisdictional waters through domestic legislation while claiming following international law. Its behavior has led to wide wariness and dissatisfaction as well as resolute opposition from other littoral countries to the South China Sea. We urge the Philippine side to immediately stop its illegitimate acts violating China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and stop its provocations and propaganda. The Chinese military will take firm and effective countermeasures against any provocative attempts to make waves and stir up troubles in the South China Sea.

Original Chinese

国防部：中国军队坚决反制任何闹海挑衅图谋 MND: The Chinese Military Will Take Firm Countermeasures Against Any Provocative Attempts to Stir up Troubles 8月7日下午，国防部新闻发言人陈曦大校就近期涉军问题发布消息。记者：据报道，菲律宾向联合国交存所谓“黄岩岛及其周边海域的官方海图”后，中国人民解放军南部战区位黄岩岛领海、领空和周边海空域组织海空联合演训，中国海警也位黄岩岛附近海域组织维权执法管控演练。菲国家海事委员会发言人称中方在该区域进行的任何演习均被菲方视为“非法行为”。请问对此有何评论？ Question:It's reported that after the Philippines deposited its so-called official nautical chart of Huangyan Dao and its surrounding maritime zones with the UN, the PLA Southern TheaterCommand conducted joint exercises in the territorial waters and airspace of Huangyan Dao as well as its surrounding areas. The China Coast Guard also carried out law-enforcement training in relevant waters. The spokesperson for the Philippine National Maritime Council claimed that any drills conducted by the Chinese side in this area are deemed illegal. What's your comment? 陈曦：黄岩岛是中国固有领土，中方持续、和平、有效地对黄岩岛行使主权和管辖权，是唯一有权依据国际法宣布黄岩岛领海基线的国家。菲方有关行径严重侵犯中国领土主权，严重违反国际法与国际关系基本准则，是非法无效的。中方组织演训演练活动，是对菲方侵权挑衅行径的严正警告，是捍卫黄岩岛主权和权益的必要举措，完全正当合法。 Chen Xi:Huangyan Dao is China's inherent territory. China has continuously, peacefully and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over Huangyan Dao, and is the only country entitled by international law to declare the baselines of the territorial sea of Huangyan Dao. Relevant actions of the Philippine side seriously violated China's territorial sovereignty, international law and the basic norms of international relations. They are illegal, null and void. Our exercises stand as a serious warning against violations and provocations by the Philippine side. These are necessary and legitimate measures to safeguard our sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and our rights and interests. 需要指出的是，自1946年独立至今，菲律宾多次打着国际法旗号，通过国内立法，扩张领土和管辖海域声索，已经引发南海周边国家的普遍警惕、反感与坚决反对。我们敦促菲方立即停止侵犯中国领土主权和海洋权益的非法行径，停止海上挑衅滋事和煽宣炒作。对任何闹海挑衅、制造事端的图谋，中国军队都将予以坚决有力反制。 In fact, since its independence in 1946, the Philippines has expanded its claims of territory and jurisdictional waters through domestic legislation while claiming following international law. Its behavior has led to wide wariness and dissatisfaction as well as resolute opposition from other littoral countries to the South China Sea. We urge the Philippine side to immediately stop its illegitimate acts violating China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and stop its provocations and propaganda. The Chinese military will take firm and effective countermeasures against any provocative attempts to make waves and stir up troubles in the South China Sea.