Senior Colonel Tian Junli, a spokesperson for the PLA Southern Theater Command, stated on Wednesday that the naval forces of the PLA Southern Theater Command conducted a routine patrol in the South China Sea on Wednesday.
Tian’s statement was in response to a joint patrol by the Philippines, Australia, and Canada.
As the Philippines is rallying external countries for so-called “joint patrol,” which undermines regional peace and stability, the troops of the theater command maintain a high level of readiness at all times and are determined to defend national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, said the spokesperson.
Any attempts to disrupt the South China Sea or create hotspots will not succeed, Tian added.