China Holds Joint Naval and Air Training Near Huangyan Dao as South China Sea Competition Continues
China’s People’s Liberation Army conducted a joint naval and air training exercise in the waters and airspace around Huangyan Dao, according to Chinese military authorities.
CHINA,POLITICS
Global N Press
8/1/20261 min read
BEIJING, August 1, 2026 — China’s People’s Liberation Army conducted a joint naval and air training exercise in the waters and airspace around Huangyan Dao, according to Chinese military authorities. The exercise involved coordinated naval and air operations and was described by Chinese authorities as routine training. Huangyan Dao, also known internationally as Scarborough Shoal, has long been contested by China and the Philippines, which maintain competing positions over maritime rights and access. The exercise came amid wider strategic competition in the South China Sea, a major shipping region important to regional security and commerce.
China has strengthened its military and coast guard presence in disputed maritime areas, while the Philippines has expanded defense cooperation with the United States and other partners. Beijing and Manila have repeatedly disagreed over activities around contested features, although both sides have also stressed the need to manage incidents. The August 1 exercise did not by itself indicate a change in China’s territorial position, but it underscored the continuing role of military and maritime operations in regional strategic competition.
