China's military carried out joint air and naval drills around the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, according to the report. Beijing said the exercises were intended to test combat readiness and support what it described as efforts to safeguard territorial sovereignty.
The activity underscores China's continued military focus on contested areas of the South China Sea. By using both air and naval forces in the same operation, the drills appeared aimed at practicing coordinated operations in a strategically sensitive maritime zone.
In a separate announcement, China also introduced new regulations for the Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve. The move added an administrative element to developments around the area at the same time military exercises were taking place nearby.
Taken together, the drills and the new reserve rules signal a broader Chinese effort to reinforce its presence around Scarborough Shoal. The developments are likely to draw attention because the shoal remains one of the South China Sea's disputed flashpoints.
