China Conducts Naval, Air Patrols Around Disputed Shoal Near Philippines China's recent naval and air patrols around the Scarborough Shoal have sent a clear message to the region: Beijing is willing to take bold action to assert its claims.
The drills involved joint combat exercises in airspace and territorial waters surrounding the shoal.
The Scarborough Shoal has been a contentious issue for years, with both China and the Philippines claiming sovereignty over the strategic reef.