A satellite image of fishing vessels at the entrance, which is blocked by a floating barrier, to the disputed Scarborough Shoal, in the South China Sea, April 11, 2026. Vantor/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. MUST NOT OBSCURE LOGO.
BEIJING, June 30 (Reuters) – China’s military and coast guard said on Tuesday they had carried out patrols in the waters around Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, as part of safeguarding Beijing’s territorial claims to the area.
The Southern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army said its naval and air forces conducted combat-readiness patrols in the territorial waters and airspace around the shoal.
Scarborough Shoal, which Beijing calls “Huangyan Dao,” is claimed by both China and the Philippines and is one of Asia’s most disputed maritime sites.
In a separate statement, the China Coast Guard (CCG) later said it conducted law-enforcement patrols on Tuesday in the waters and surrounding areas of the shoal too, saying it has enhanced patrols this month and regulated ships engaged in “illegal rights-violation activities,” without elaborating.
The Philippine embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the PLA and CCG patrols.
Tuesday’s patrols came after joint U.S.-Philippine drills in waters near Scarborough Shoal over the weekend that Washington said underscored a shared commitment to strengthening regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
In response, China’s military on Monday said it had carried out a routine patrol in the South China Sea over the weekend and accused the Philippines of bringing in countries outside the region for patrols, which it said undermine regional peace and stability.
Beijing has intensified its sovereignty claims at Scarborough in recent years, including through the creation of a national nature reserve at the shoal, a move the Philippines denounced as a “clear pretext for occupation.”
Earlier this month, the Philippines said China had installed a floating platform at the entrance to Scarborough Shoal in late May before later removing it. Beijing said any activities it conducts there, including scientific research, are within the legitimate rights of a sovereign state.
(Reporting by Liz Lee and Beijing newsroom; Editing by Tom Hogue and Lincoln Feast.)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026.
Updated: July 4, 2026 (Originally published June 29, 2026)
This article contains reporting from Reuters, published under license.
Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update
Essential maritime and offshore news, insights, and updates delivered daily straight to your inbox
China has launched its annual Arctic summer expedition with four major research vessels heading north, expanding a polar presence that has increasingly drawn the attention of U.S. lawmakers and military planners following last year’s unprecedented Chinese operations near Alaska.
Two U.S. senators introduced bipartisan legislation on Monday aimed at barring Chinese and Russian government-linked vessels from conducting research operations in U.S. Arctic waters, reflecting growing concern in Washington that scientific missions are increasingly being used to support intelligence gathering and strategic competition in the High North.
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
