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A patrol boat affiliated with a maritime border defense unit of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy stationed in the Nansha Qundao (also known as Nansha Islands) in the South China Sea conducts a maritime response exercise in the region in early summer, 2024. Photo: Screenshot from China Central Television

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s maritime border defense forces stationed in Nansha Qundao (also known as Nansha Islands) in the South China Sea recently conducted a maritime response exercise amid repeated provocations by the Philippines in the region.

The exercise was held by a patrol boat unit affiliated with the PLA Navy’s Nansha Qundao garrison, which is stationed at the frontier of the South China Sea responsible for the defense of China’s southern maritime border, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Wednesday.

During the exercise, a patrol boat equipped with a machine gun at its bow cruised at a fast speed and performed tactical maneuvers including small radius turning. It carried eight PLA Navy personnel, who were armed with light weapons including QBZ-95 assault rifles which had grenade launchers as attachments, the CCTV report shows.

In a drill session, the troops issued a verbal warning to an unidentified vessel through the open radio channel while closing in on the target: “Unidentified vessel, this is the Chinese Navy. You are approaching our military exercise area. Please state your intention and leave immediately!”

The exercise was held at a time when the Philippines has been repeatedly conducting provocative activities on Chinese islands and reefs in Nansha Qundao in the South China Sea such as Ren’ai Jiao (also known as Ren’ai Reef), Tiexian Jiao (also known as Tiexian Reef) and Xianbin Jiao (also known as Xianbin Reef), including by sending vessels and personnel to trespass into waters adjacent to the Chinese islands and reefs.

Such moves violated China’s sovereign security and territorial integrity, and harmed peace and stability in the South China Sea, analysts said.

In many past cases, the Philippines deployed boats and small ships, or airdropped goods to conduct so-called resupply missions in moves to permanently occupy the Chinese islands and reefs, so the Chinese exercise also featured a small patrol boat, which has unique advantages such as high mobility and flexibility in dealing with the Philippine tactics accordingly, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Thursday.

The exercise featured a patrol boat from the PLA Navy’s Nansha Qundao garrison rather than a larger warship, which reflected China’s diversity in force deployment in the South China Sea, the expert said.

Recently, Philippine personnel on the illegally grounded warship at Ren'ai Jiao reportedly pointed guns at China Coast Guard (CCG) law enforcement personnel.

Against this background, the exercise by fully armed PLA Navy personnel could also serve as a preparation in the event of a dangerous scenario, the expert said.