Scarborough Shoal: China holds military, coast guard drills

China said it conducted military and coast guard drills on Saturday near Scarborough Shoal, a contested South China Sea reef claimed by China and the Philippines.

A spokesperson for the Chinese army's Southern Theater Command said China held a joint naval-air training exercise near the shoal. The spokesperson said the action was necessary because of the current situation in the South China Sea and what China called acts by some countries that had undermined regional peace and stability.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV showed two warships patrolling and a plane taking off. China's coast guard said it also conducted drills near the reef focused on operations including search and seizure, interdiction of forced entry and forced towing.

Scarborough Shoal is rich in fishing resources and is controlled by Beijing, while both China and the Philippines claim sovereignty over it. Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, despite an international ruling that found its claims have no legal basis. Several countries in the region have overlapping claims.

China also released new rules for managing what it called a nature reserve around Scarborough Shoal, according to state news agency Xinhua. The rules prohibit unauthorised fishing, mining, coral collection and other activities described as damaging rare marine species and the ecosystem.

The Philippines said a day earlier that it would submit its official nautical chart of Scarborough Shoal and surrounding waters to the United Nations this week. Last week, China said it took necessary measures after using a water cannon at a Philippine vessel, while Manila said it had been seeking to resupply fishermen and accused a Chinese vessel of a reckless manoeuvre.