China’s military and coast guard conducted patrols near the disputed Scarborough Shoal on May 31, 2026, as part of combat readiness operations in territorial sea and airspace near the atoll, the Southern Theatre Command said [1].
The area is a major flashpoint in competing sovereignty and fishing rights claims between China and the Philippines. China asserts sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea under its "nine-dash line," which overlaps the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone [1].
Chinese coast guard officials said they have been addressing ships engaged in what they termed illegal rights-violation activities near the shoal since early May [1].
The patrols came days after Philippine and US forces completed a five-day maritime exercise near Scarborough Shoal aimed at strengthening interoperability and maritime security. This was the third joint maritime drill the two countries have held in the area in 2026 alone [2].
Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said despite easing tensions between the US and China, the Philippines remains under severe threat from China. "We have no choice but really to be resilient and to stand up against Chinese aggression," Teodoro said [1].
The Philippine government continues to monitor Chinese military activities closely. The coordinated Philippine-US exercises signal Manila’s commitment to safeguarding its maritime claims and regional security near Scarborough Shoal.
Officials on both sides have not announced further patrols or exercises following the events in late May, but tensions remain high over control of the contested waters.
