China Launches Naval Drills Near Scarborough Shoal Amid Territorial Dispute
On August 2, 2026, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command conducted joint naval and air drills near the disputed Scarborough Shoal. The military maneuvers were a direct response to the Philippines' formal submission to the United Nations on July 28, which seeks to extend its seabed rights in the South China Sea. Tensions escalated on August 3 as U.S. Pacific Command warned against China's "coercive actions," following reports of Chinese vessels driving away Philippine Navy ships.