PLA navy carries out South China Sea live-fire drills while US and Philippine counterparts conduct own joint exercise

China carried out two separate live-fire exercises in the South China Sea this week, coinciding with joint sea and air patrols by the US and Philippine navies. These events took place shortly after Chinese President Xi Jinping sought to de-escalate tensions with his American and Philippine counterparts during a visit to California. nnThe Chinese Maritime Safety Administration declared two exclusion zones near Hainan Island on Monday, warning ships to avoid the areas due to military training and live-fire drills. Concurrently, the Chinese navy's Type 054A guided-missile frigate Yuncheng was deployed to the region for what was described as a routine patrol by the People's Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command. nnThe Chinese exercises and the Yuncheng's deployment overlapped with a three-day joint patrol by the US and Philippine navies, which began near Mavulis Island, close to Taiwan, and extended into the Philippine exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea. Despite the distance from Hainan Island, the Southern Theatre Command criticized Manila for involving external forces in the disputed waters, claiming it disrupts peace and stability. However, they stated that the Yuncheng's patrol was not a direct response to the joint exercise. nnThe Philippine military reported the involvement of three navy vessels and various aircraft in their patrol, while the US contributed a littoral combat ship and a maritime patrol aircraft. Recently, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. discussed reducing South China Sea tensions with President Xi during a summit in San Francisco. Xi also met with US President Joe Biden, agreeing to reestablish high-level military communication to prevent misunderstandings. nnChina's claim over most of the South China Sea is contested by the Philippines and other nations. Since his inauguration in 2022, Marcos has pursued stronger ties with the US, including expanding the number of bases available to American forces and conducting the largest joint military exercise to date in April.