Chinese military patrol in the South China Sea [Photo courtesy of Southern Theater Command, Chinese military social media]

Amid large-scale military exercises by the United States, Japan, and the Philippines in the South China Sea, the Chinese military announced on April 30 (local time) that it conducted patrols near Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island in Chinese), a disputed area in the South China Sea.

The Southern Theater Command of the Chinese military stated via social media on the same day, "We organized naval and air force personnel to conduct combat readiness patrols in and around the territorial sea and airspace of China's Huangyan Island," asserting, "Huangyan Island is an inalienable territory of China."

It continued, "Since this month, we have been continuously strengthening patrols and vigilance in the sea and airspace around Huangyan Island's territorial waters," and added, "We are effectively responding to all forms of infringements and provocations, resolutely defending national sovereignty and security, and firmly safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea."

The Southern Theater Command also released a 1 minute and 21 second video, which included a Chinese warship crew member informing a fighter pilot about an "unidentified aerial target" continuously approaching Scarborough Shoal, and the pilot responding, "I'm monitoring it. It won't be able to escape."

Citing the video, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported that the foreign aircraft approaching Scarborough Shoal was a Philippine C-208 maritime patrol aircraft.

The video showed at least three Chinese missile destroyers, several J-16 fighter jets, and at least two H-6K strategic bombers, which are capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

Scarborough Shoal is located approximately 240 kilometers north of Luzon Island in the Philippines and about 900 kilometers from Hainan Province in China, with both countries claiming sovereignty over it.

The Chinese military's patrol comes as seven countries, including the United States, the Philippines, Japan, Australia, Canada, France, and New Zealand, are conducting their annual joint military exercise, 'Balikatan,' which began on April 20.

The Balikatan exercise, involving over 17,000 military personnel and running until May 8, is taking place in the South China Sea, near Taiwan, and particularly around Luzon Island.

Immediately after the start of the Balikatan exercise, on April 21, China announced it had deployed its latest assault ship, the Sichuan, dubbed a 'drone carrier,' to the South China Sea for training.

On April 24, the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese military revealed that it had conducted training and practice activities in the waters east of Luzon Island, the Philippines, focusing on live-fire drills, joint air and sea operations, rapid maneuver, and replenishment at sea.

Meanwhile, the Philippine military announced on the same day that a crucial part of this year's Balikatan exercise, a multilateral maritime drill, would be conducted in the West Philippine Sea from April 20 to May 1. The West Philippine Sea is the area where the Philippines claims sovereignty in the South China Sea, which includes Scarborough Shoal.