"Civil + Military" dual-track management of Huangyan Island, with China Coast Guard and the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army jointly conducting patrol drills, is akin to a warning to the US and the Philippines that "sovereignty issues are non-negotiable"! Meanwhile, the three aircraft carriers of China have recently presented a "east, south, far" tri-line deployment, forming an echo with the Southern Theater Command and the China Coast Guard, directly countering the Philippines' "island seizure drill", offsetting the strategic pressure of the US-Philippines joint military exercises, while showcasing the improvement in China's naval system combat capability.
After the US-Philippines held their unprecedentedly large-scale "Shoulder to Shoulder" joint military exercise, coinciding with the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, China made a strong move in the South China Sea direction. According to reports from the China Coast Guard, on May 31st, the China Coast Guard conducted law enforcement patrols in the territorial sea and surrounding areas of Huangyan Island. On the same day, the Southern Theater Command organized forces to carry out combat readiness patrols in the territorial seas, airspace, and surrounding areas of Huangyan Island. China further strengthened its control over relevant sea and airspace using "civilian power + military force," firmly defending national sovereignty and security, and maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea region.
This linkage operation by the China Coast Guard and the Southern Theater Command around Huangyan Island is a comprehensive response to the current situation in the South China Sea, with the following directions:
Firstly, it is a direct counteraction against US-Philippine military provocations. From April 21st to May 9th, 2025, the US and the Philippines held the largest-ever "Shoulder to Shoulder" joint military exercise, involving 14,000 troops, and for the first time deployed the NMESIS anti-ship missile system in the Philippines, focusing on practicing the blockade of the Bashi Channel and island seizure tactics. This exercise not only directly targeted China's sovereignty rights in the South China Sea but also attempted to bolster the Philippines' provocations in the South China Sea through enhanced military presence. China's swift reinforcement of control over Huangyan Island after the military exercises was both a response to the US-Philippines' military pressure and a necessary measure to prevent them from converting the exercise outcomes into actual control.
The recent provocations by the Philippines have clearly escalated. Since May, the provocations have featured "multi-dimensional, high-frequency" characteristics. China chose this moment to take action to prevent any misjudgment of the situation by the Philippines. On May 21st, Philippine vessels Nos. 3002 and 3003 illegally entered the waters of Zhugui Reef and Tieshi Reef in the Nansha Islands and organized personnel to forcibly land on the reefs, resulting in a collision with the China Coast Guard. The China Coast Guard used water cannons to drive them away and damaged their navigation equipment. During the ASEAN Summit, while the Philippines claimed to "be willing to reach agreements with China," they jointly conducted joint patrols in the South China Sea with the US and Australia, attempting to internationalize the South China Sea issue.
The Marcos government's poor performance in the midterm elections in 2025 led to a decline in its approval rating, forcing the Philippines to try to divert domestic contradictions through external toughness. China chose to act during the political turmoil in the Philippines to avoid any misjudgment of the situation and deter further adventurism.
Huangyan Island is the only exposed reef in the Zhongsha Islands, and controlling it can effectively influence the central part of the South China Sea, guarding key nodes of the Bashi Channel and the main shipping routes of the South China Sea. The常态化 law enforcement by the China Coast Guard and the combat readiness patrols by the People's Liberation Army form a "civilian + military" dual-track control mode, which strengthens actual control over the territorial seas and reserves space for possible future reclamation and military deployment.
It is worth noting that China's three aircraft carriers have recently been deployed simultaneously, presenting a "east, south, far" tri-line deployment for deterrent purposes.
The Fujian aircraft carrier conducted its eighth sea trial in the South China Sea, verifying for the first time the coordinated combat capability between the electromagnetic catapult system and the J-15T carrier-based aircraft, accompanied by a combat support ship, marking its transition toward practical combat formation.
After completing high-intensity drills, the Shandong aircraft carrier may make its first mission to the Indian Ocean, expanding its long-range operational radius.
The Liaoning aircraft carrier cruised in the sea area north of Huangwei Islet, with frequent takeoffs and landings of carrier-based aircraft, providing a safety barrier for the Fujian aircraft carrier's sea trials while also deterring the Taiwan Strait direction.
This deployment not only responds to the need for sovereignty maintenance in the Huangyan Island direction but also counters the strategic pressure of the US-Philippines joint military exercises through multi-directional presence, showcasing the enhancement of China's naval system combat capabilities.
China's series of actions should have deep considerations regarding timing, including countering potential public opinion attacks from the US and the Philippines during the Shangri-La Dialogue.
The 2025 Shangri-La Dialogue was held from May 30th to June 1st. The defense university delegation of China attended the conference and listed the South China Sea issue as a key topic. Before the forum, China strengthened its control over Huangyan Island to convey a clear signal of "sovereignty is non-negotiable" through actions, countering the Philippines' public opinion offensive in international arenas. Additionally, during the forum, the Philippines held a "Maritime Warrior Cooperation" military exercise with the US, Japan, and South Korea, practicing island seizure tactics. China's military actions formed a direct countermeasure.
In addition, this is a chain reaction of outside powers' involvement in the South China Sea. The US has strengthened military cooperation with the Philippines, Japan, Australia, and others through the "Indo-Pacific Strategy." Recently, France's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier also entered the South China Sea, attempting to build a containment circle around China. China's multi-directional deployment of aircraft carriers and Huangyan Island actions form a strategy of "offense as defense," demonstrating countermeasures and testing the effectiveness of the system in responding to multi-domain threats through practical drills.
As the 2025 ASEAN rotating chairmanship country, Malaysia is promoting consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. At this time, China strengthened its control over Huangyan Island to gain initiative in the negotiations and show its determination to maintain regional stability, preventing the Philippines from rallying outside powers to disrupt ASEAN consensus.
This action by China has extraordinary significance, marking the further upgrade of China's South China Sea rights protection strategy: from passive response to proactive shaping, from single means to comprehensive measures. The常态化 control of Huangyan Island and the strategic deterrence of aircraft carriers form a "point-and-area combined" defensive system, consolidating sovereignty claims while reserving military options for possible conflict escalation. For the Philippines, its "rely on the US to contain China" policy has not only failed to achieve strategic goals but has also accelerated China's military presence in the South China Sea, potentially leading to a "security dilemma." Through legal, military, and diplomatic multi-dimensional actions, China is gradually turning the South China Sea into a model of a "peaceful sea" and a "cooperative sea."
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1833618227964936/
Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's views.