Overview

• On June 14, the PLA’s Southern Theater Command deployed naval vessels and aircraft for coordinated patrols across disputed waters.
• Spokesperson Tian Junli accused the Philippines of enlisting external powers for joint patrols that raise regional security risks.
• Earlier this month, the Philippines and the United States held their seventh joint naval drills in the contested sea.
• Beijing rejects the 2016 Hague tribunal ruling that invalidated its extensive maritime claims.
• The South China Sea sustains over $3 trillion in annual trade and features overlapping claims from multiple Southeast Asian nations.