PLA Says It Ran Aug 21-25 South China Sea Patrols to Counter Philippine 'Joint Patrols' with Outside Countries

PLA Southern Theater Command spokesperson Senior Captain Zhai Shichen said on August 26, 2026 that the command's naval and air forces organized a 'routine' patrol across the South China Sea from August 21 to 25, framing it as a response to the Philippines 'co-opting countries outside the region to conduct so-called joint patrols' that Beijing says undermine regional peace and stability. Zhai said forces of the Southern Theater Command 'will resolutely safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and firmly uphold peace and stability in the region.' The statement, carried by Xinhua, China Military and Global Times, did not name the specific countries involved or specify locations within the patrol area; it follows a month of stepped-up US, Australian and Japanese naval activity alongside the Philippine Navy in the South China Sea, including a Royal Australian Navy MH-60R Seahawk operating from the carrier USS George Washington and an Anzac-class frigate's port calls in the region as part of Australia's 2026 regional presence deployments.