China holds air, navy patrol in South China Sea

HONG KONG, ‌July 26 - ​China ​said on Sunday it organised a routine patrol by ‌its naval and air forces ⁠in the South China Sea, accusing the ‌Philippines of holding ‌patrols with foreign countries in the disputed waterway that undermined regional ​peace and stability.

• The comments came from the Southern Theatre ⁠Command of the People's Liberation Army.

• Its spokesperson, senior ​navy Colonel Zhai Shichen, said the Philippines had "rallied foreign countries ​to organise so-called joint ‌patrols, disrupting the South China Sea and undermining ⁠regional peace and stability."

• Zhai said the forces of the command would "resolutely ⁠defend national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and ​interest, firmly maintaining regional peace and stability".

• China claims sovereignty over almost the entire ‌South China Sea, despite overlapping claims by Southeast Asian ‌nations, and rejects a ⁠2016 arbitral ruling ‌invalidating its claims.

(Reporting ​by Farah Master in Hong Kong; Editing by Clarence ‌Fernandez)

---

Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!

---

You May Also Be Interested In

• Nepalis pin hopes on 'wall of the missing' in hunt for relatives after deadly flood
• South Korea to open Sejong presidential office by 2029, move 350 institutions from Seoul
• VinFast-linked taxi firm GSM eyes US, EU expansion ahead of Hong Kong IPO