Overview

• Beijing’s defense ministry reaffirmed its claim to Second Thomas Shoal and cautioned Manila to cease what it called infringing actions or “bear all consequences,” according to a Thursday briefing.
• The Philippines, Australia and Canada conducted air-defense exercises east of Scarborough Shoal under Exercise ALON 2025, deploying HMAS Brisbane, HMCS Ville de Québec and BRP Jose Rizal with fighter jets and helicopters, and the drills concluded safely.
• Philippine officials reported an expanded Chinese presence near Second Thomas Shoal that included a PLAN tugboat, 13 maritime militia vessels and two China Coast Guard ships.
• Satellite tracking reported by the South China Morning Post indicated two Philippine coast guard ships were intercepted near Half Moon Shoal by China Coast Guard 5304 and then turned back.
• Maxar imagery confirmed China Coast Guard hull 3104, badly damaged in the August 11 collision with a Chinese navy destroyer near Scarborough Shoal, is undergoing repairs at Hainan’s Yulin naval base.