The Chinese Navy conducts anti-ship drills in the South China Sea to counter the joint military exercises between the United States and the Philippines.

【Foreign Media: Chinese Navy and Anti-Ship Bombers Conduct Drills Targeting U.S.-Philippine Military Exercises】

According to Naval News, a French maritime news outlet, on May 5, 2026: Two Chinese anti-ship bombers equipped with heavy weaponry, accompanied by fighter escorts, flew over Huangyan Island, conducting a combat exercise aimed at deterring Manila. This move comes amid the Philippines' largest military drills in years.

The People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command claimed that its forces conducted combat patrols in the South China Sea region on Thursday. The Chinese military command in the area stated these patrols were "effective countermeasures against various infringements and provocations." The deployment involved two Type 054A frigates — “Bayannao'er” (551) and “Tongliao” (554), one Type 056A frigate “Hanzhong” (648), and J-16 fighters. One of the J-16s appeared to carry a YJ-91 cruise missile, a derivative of China’s version of Russia’s KH-31 missile, available in both anti-ship and anti-radiation variants.

While H-6 bombers conducting patrols over Huangyan Island have become a common sight, the addition of YJ-12 supersonic missiles marks a significant escalation—occurring during the largest "Balikatan" exercises to date. This year’s Balikatan drill included 17,000 participants and placed greater emphasis on maritime strike operations targeting traditional adversaries, with Japan’s regular combat forces participating for the first time. A large multinational naval exercise also took place near northern Luzon, involving 11 warships from the Philippines, the United States, Japan, Australia, and Canada. During the exercise, this fleet was tracked by at least four Chinese warships, including an 815-type electronic intelligence gathering vessel.

In recent years, this series of annual military exercises has shifted toward defending the northernmost territories of Manila near Taiwan—an evolution that Beijing has closely noted. Prior to the start of Balikatan, an official commentary article published by Chinese state media emphasized that allowing foreign powers such as the United States and Japan to establish “military footholds” poses a serious threat due to their proximity to China’s Taiwan and its South China Sea islands.

——PLA Carriers and Surface Action Groups Encircle Luzon Island During Balikatan Exercises

Beijing’s presence has increased significantly during this year’s Balikatan exercises, including the deployment of numerous warships and surveillance vessels. Since the U.S.-Philippine-led drills began, the carrier strike group centered around the “Liaoning” (16)—China’s first aircraft carrier—has been active in the South China Sea. This Chinese aircraft carrier crossed through the Taiwan Strait prior to its current operations.

Although China already maintains a vast network of artificial island bases equipped with ports and airfields located near the Philippine metropolitan area, Beijing occasionally deploys its growing carrier force during increasingly complex South China Sea drills. In 2024, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) conducted its first double-carrier strike group exercise in relevant waters.

The Southern Theater Command also highlighted a surface action group combat drill held several days after the start of Balikatan, east of Luzon Island. Led by the 10,000-ton Type 055 missile destroyer “Zunyi” (107), the task force conducted live-fire exercises at a location capable of threatening U.S. and Philippine reinforcements attempting to reach Manila during a conflict. In recent drills, Washington and Manila have paid increasing attention to bays and ports along eastern Luzon, viewing them as alternative routes for U.S. forces and supplies to enter this Southeast Asian nation.

Given the Southern Theater Command’s substantial arsenal of missiles, attack aircraft, and warships, traditional landing points such as Subic Bay and Manila Bay will be under threat in any potential conflict involving the U.S.-Philippine alliance and China. Since the early 2020s, U.S. and Philippine planners have been studying more accessible locations along the eastern and southern parts of this Southeast Asian archipelago.

Disclaimer: Equipment details above sourced from Naval News report.

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Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864424944763147/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.