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[Global Times-Global Network reporter Guo Yuandan] The PLA Southern Theater Command released a message on the 7th that the PLA Southern Theater Command organized a joint combat patrol in the sea and air space near Huangyan Island in the South China Sea on the same day, aiming to test the theater troops' reconnaissance and early warning, rapid mobility, and joint strike capabilities. Experts interviewed by the Global Times said that although the message released by the Southern Theater Command was short, it was rich in content. These three capabilities demonstrated that the PLA can take targeted countermeasures to all provocative actions.

Expert: The "three capabilities" in the news from the Southern Theater Command have rich connotations

Military expert Zhang Junshe said in an interview with the Global Times on the 7th that although the message released by the Southern Theater Command was short, its content was rich. The three capabilities of "reconnaissance and early warning, rapid mobility, and joint strikes" are the PLA's targeted combat procedures and measures against all provocative actions, indicating that the PLA has the ability to defend national sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.

"Reconnaissance and early warning mean that we are capable of quickly detecting provocative actions in any range in the sea and air around me; rapid maneuvering means that our ships and aircraft can be dispatched quickly and rush to the scene to take countermeasures; and joint strikes are to carry out joint sea and air countermeasures against any forces that commit acts of aggression against me, ensure control of the sea and air, seize the initiative, and further launch strike operations according to the situation to safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests." Zhang Junshe said.

Experts: Philippines' "letting the wolf in" impacts ASEAN's centrality in regional security affairs

At the same time, Reuters reported that the naval and air forces of the Philippines, the United States, Canada and Australia began a two-day multilateral maritime exercise in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone on the 7th. The report said that this was the first joint exercise between the Philippines, the United States, Canada and Australia to "enhance interoperability between forces."

Bloomberg reported that senior military officials from the Philippines, the United States, Canada and Australia issued a statement through the Philippine Armed Forces saying that the maritime exercise aims to demonstrate "our common commitment to strengthening regional and international cooperation and supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific region."

This is the third exercise that the Philippines has conducted in ten days to attract countries outside the region. On July 31, the Philippine and US navies held a joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea. On August 2, the Philippines and Japan held a joint military exercise in the South China Sea. On August 7, the Philippines, the United States, Canada and Australia held a joint exercise.

In this regard, Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Marine Law and Policy at the China Institute of South China Sea Studies, said in an interview with the Global Times on the 7th that the Philippines' attempt to win over countries outside the region to conduct exercises in the South China Sea seems to have "increased its confidence" on maritime issues, but in fact the Philippines' practice of "inviting the wolf into the house" has not only led to the gathering of a large number of military forces in the South China Sea, but also impacted ASEAN's centrality in regional security affairs. Currently, among ASEAN countries, only the Philippines has no strategic autonomy, and the US orientation is the Philippines' orientation.

Non-regional countries will not play tricks on the Philippines on the South China Sea issue

In fact, the Philippines has been trying to attract countries outside the region to conduct joint military exercises in the South China Sea since 2023 to deal with disputes with China in the South China Sea. In addition, the Philippine armed forces always deliberately title these exercises as "the first" in their reports to attract public attention and increase the exposure of the South China Sea dispute.

For example, in November 2023, the United States and the Philippines conducted their first joint sea and air patrol in the South China Sea since 2016; in April 2024, Japan, the United States, Australia and the Philippines held their first joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea. In this week alone, there were two "firsts", including the first joint exercise between the Philippines and Japan in the South China Sea, and the ongoing first joint exercise between the Philippines, the United States, Canada and Australia in the South China Sea.

In response to such actions, the Southern Theater Command issued a message on the 7th giving a concise response: All military activities that disrupt the South China Sea, create hotspots, and undermine regional peace and stability are under control.

"Among these countries outside the region, the United States is undoubtedly the biggest external factor disrupting the regional situation." Ding Duo believes that the root cause of the United States' promotion of "mini-multilateral" mechanisms and group confrontation is its deep-rooted Cold War mentality and its wrong perception of China. "These countries outside the region use the South China Sea issue to increase their presence in the region, which in turn leads to the strengthening of the trend of pan-securityization of disputes in the South China Sea."

"The United States does not have many means to intervene in the South China Sea affairs. It can only demonstrate deterrence through joint patrols and joint military exercises. But history and reality have shown that this approach of the United States will not have any effect on China, and will not have any substantive impact on China's rights claims and rights protection measures. It will only strengthen China's determination to safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests in the South China Sea." Ding Duo said.

Public reports show that the exercises conducted by the Philippines with non-regional countries in the South China Sea are mostly symbolic, taking the three most recent exercises as an example. Two ships participated in the joint exercise between the Philippines and the United States on July 31, and the first joint exercise between the Philippines and Japan also involved two ships: the Japanese destroyer "Harun" and the Philippine missile frigate "Jose Rizal". In the latest exercise between the Philippines, the United States, Canada and Australia, a total of four ships participated. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Australia did not send any ships to participate in the exercise, but only dispatched a P8 reconnaissance aircraft.

"From the Philippines' perspective, its ships and command and control systems are far behind those of the United States and Japan, and it is unable to carry out effective joint operations. It hopes that through this exercise, the outside world will believe that the United States and Japan are its backers, emboldening its own provocative actions." Zhang Junshe further analyzed that, in fact, these non-regional countries will not play tricks on themselves on the South China Sea issue, and take advantage of the situation for the Philippines. "Among them, the United States and Japan are capable of lending a helping hand to the Philippines, but neither of them is willing enough. They just want the Philippines to charge into battle, and they will not participate in it themselves. Countries like Canada have neither the willingness nor the ability. The fact that they sent a frigate from afar is the best reflection of this. This ship can only show its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, and its combat capability is not worth mentioning."#Deep Good Articles Project#