Khaberni - The Chinese military announced today, Saturday, that its forces are on high alert after detecting a joint patrol conducted by the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea on the last October 30 and 31.
The Chinese military stated that it monitored and tracked the joint patrol over the past two days.
It added that the joint patrol, with unnamed partners, "seriously undermined regional peace and stability," describing the Philippines as "troublesome" in the region.
It emphasized that the Southern Command's forces are still on high alert and "will resolutely protect the national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," according to its description.
It is noteworthy that Washington and Manila have strengthened military cooperation, as they revealed on Friday plans to form a new joint task force in areas including the South China Sea, a corridor through which trade worth over 3 trillion dollars annually passes.
Forces from Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the United States conducted exercises in the South China Sea on October 30 and 31 last.
The U.S. Seventh Fleet stated that the maneuvers aimed to demonstrate a "collective commitment to enhancing regional and international cooperation to support the freedom and openness of the Indian and Pacific Ocean region."
China claims almost all of the South China Sea, including parts claimed by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China's claims are not supported by international law, a decision that Beijing rejects.
