South China Sea
Exercises
Coast Guard
Chinese military will resolutely thwart any provocative attempts to stir up troubles: Defense Spokesperson
China Military Online (EN)
7 August 2026
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MND spokesperson Senior Colonel Chen Xi, at a 7 August press briefing, defended the PLA Southern Theater Command's joint exercises in the territorial waters and airspace of Huangyan Dao and the China Coast Guard's concurrent law-enforcement training there as a direct response to the Philippines depositing a nautical chart of Huangyan Dao and its surrounding maritime zones with the UN. Chen rejected the Philippine National Maritime Council's characterization of the drills as illegal, declared the Philippine chart null and void, and closed with an explicit warning that the Chinese military will take 'firm and effective countermeasures' against further provocations. The statement fits the established pattern of Beijing pairing a legal-declaratory move — asserting continuous, effective sovereignty and exclusive entitlement to draw Huangyan Dao's territorial sea baselines — with a coordinated CCG and PLA operational response, though the scale, specific assets, and duration of the exercises are not disclosed.
BEIJING, Aug. 7 -- "Huangyan Dao is China's inherent territory. China has continuously, peacefully and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over the island, and is the only country entitled by international law to declare the baselines of the territorial sea of Huangyan Dao," said Senior Colonel Chen Xi, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense (MND), at a press briefing on Friday.
After the Philippines deposited its so-called official nautical chart of Huangyan Dao and its surrounding maritime zones with the UN, the Chinese 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. However, the spokesperson for the Philippine National Maritime Council claimed that any drills conducted by the Chinese side in this area are deemed illegal.
As a response to the Philippine spokesperson's remarks, Senior Colonel Chen emphasized that 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.
The spokesperson said that China's training exercises serve as a serious warning against violations and provocations by the Philippine side. These are necessary and legitimate measures to safeguard China's sovereignty and rights of Huangyan Dao.
The spokesperson also pointed out that since its independence in 1946, the Philippines has expanded its claims of territory and jurisdictional waters through domestic legislation under the banner of international law. Its behavior has led to wide wariness, dissatisfaction and strong opposition from other littoral countries surrounding 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 stir up troubles in the South China Sea," stressed the spokesperson.
Original text
BEIJING, Aug. 7 -- "Huangyan Dao is China's inherent territory. China has continuously, peacefully and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over the island, and is the only country entitled by international law to declare the baselines of the territorial sea of Huangyan Dao," said Senior Colonel Chen Xi, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense (MND), at a press briefing on Friday. After the Philippines deposited its so-called official nautical chart of Huangyan Dao and its surrounding maritime zones with the UN, the Chinese 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. However, the spokesperson for the Philippine National Maritime Council claimed that any drills conducted by the Chinese side in this area are deemed illegal. As a response to the Philippine spokesperson's remarks, Senior Colonel Chen emphasized that 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. The spokesperson said that China's training exercises serve as a serious warning against violations and provocations by the Philippine side. These are necessary and legitimate measures to safeguard China's sovereignty and rights of Huangyan Dao. The spokesperson also pointed out that since its independence in 1946, the Philippines has expanded its claims of territory and jurisdictional waters through domestic legislation under the banner of international law. Its behavior has led to wide wariness, dissatisfaction and strong opposition from other littoral countries surrounding 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 stir up troubles in the South China Sea," stressed the spokesperson.
