Amid escalating regional tensions, China has ramped up military and coast guard patrols around the highly contested Scarborough Shoal, situated in the South China Sea. The strategic location is a point of contention between China and the Philippines, making it one of Asia’s most disputed maritime sites. The People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theatre Command has confirmed conducting combat-readiness patrols, involving both naval and air forces, around the shoal. The China Coast Guard reported enhanced law-enforcement patrols targeting what it deems “illegal rights-violation activities” in the area. These developments come on the heels of recent U.S.-Philippine joint drills, which were presented…
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