The PLA Southern Theater of Operations released a message on the 7th, saying that on that day, the PLA Southern Theater of Operations organized a joint war patrol in the sea and airspace near Huangyan Island in the South China Sea, aiming to test the reconnaissance and early warning, rapid mobility, and joint strike capabilities of the theater forces. Experts interviewed by the "Global Times" reporter said that although the news released by the Southern Theater of Operations is very short, but the connotation is very rich, and these three capabilities demonstrate that the PLA can take targeted countermeasures to all provocative actions.
Military expert Zhang Junshe said in an interview with the Global Times on the 7th, "reconnaissance and early warning, rapid mobility, joint strikes" these three capabilities is the PLA to all provocative actions to take targeted combat procedures and measures, indicating that the PLA has the ability to defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. Zhang Junshe said: "reconnaissance and early warning means that I have the ability to quickly detect any provocative actions in the sea and air around me; rapid maneuvering indicates that my ships and aircraft can quickly deploy to the scene to take countermeasures; and joint strike is against any force that commits aggression against me to carry out joint countermeasures by sea and air, to ensure control of sea and air and to take the initiative, and to further carry out strike actions according to the situation to safeguard my sovereignty and territorial integrity. launching strike operations to safeguard my territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests."
Meanwhile, the navy and air force of the Philippines, the U.S., Canada and Australia began a two-day multilateral maritime exercise in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone on July 7, Reuters reported. This is the first time the Philippines, the U.S., Canada and Australia have held joint exercises, which are said to be aimed at "enhancing interoperability among forces," according to the report. According to Bloomberg, senior military officials from the Philippines, the US, Canada and Australia said in a statement issued through the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that the maritime exercise was aimed at demonstrating "our shared commitment to strengthening regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region".
This is the third exercise in 10 days in which the Philippines has brought together extra-territorial countries: on July 31, the Philippine and U.S. navies held a joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea; on August 2, the Philippines and Japan held a joint military exercise in the South China Sea; and the Philippine, U.S., Canada and Australia held a joint maritime exercise on the 7th. In this regard, the South China Sea Institute of Marine Law and Policy Research Institute, deputy director of Ding Duo 7, said in an interview with the "Global Times" reporter, the Philippines pull together extra-territorial countries in the South China Sea region to engage in exercises, seems to be in the sea-related issues, "increased the bottom line", but in essence it is "luring the wolf into the house! ", not only lead to a large number of military forces gathered in the South China Sea, but also the impact of ASEAN's centrality in regional security affairs, the current ASEAN countries, only the Philippines has no strategic autonomy, the U.S. orientation is the orientation of the Philippines.
As a matter of fact, the Philippines has been soliciting extra-territorial countries to conduct joint military exercises in the South China Sea since 2023 as a response to its disputes with China in the South China Sea. In addition, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has been deliberately labeling these exercises as "firsts" in its reports to draw public attention to the disputes in the South China Sea, thereby raising the profile of the disputes.

In November 2023, the U.S. and the Philippines reportedly conducted their first joint air and sea patrols in the South China Sea since 2016, and in April 2024, Japan, the U.S., Australia, and the Philippines held their first joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea. In this week alone, there are two "firsts," including the first joint Philippine-Japanese exercise in the South China Sea and the ongoing first joint Philippine-U.S.-Canadian-Australian exercise in the South China Sea.

In response to such moves, the Southern Theater of Operations (STO) made a succinct response on the 7th: all military activities that stir up the South China Sea, create hotspots, and undermine regional peace and stability are under control.
"Among these extra-territorial countries, there is no doubt that the United States is the biggest external factor stirring up the regional situation." Ding Duo believes that the U.S. push for small multilateral mechanisms and bloc confrontation is rooted in its deep-rooted Cold War thinking and misperceived positioning of China. Ding Duo said, "The U.S. does not have many means to intervene in the South China Sea, and can only demonstrate deterrence through joint cruises and joint military exercises. But history and reality have shown that the U.S. this set of China can not play any role, will not have any substantive impact on China's claims and initiatives to protect rights, will only strengthen China's determination to safeguard its own sovereignty, security and development interests in the South China Sea."
Public reports show that most of the exercises implemented by the Philippines and extra-territorial countries in the South China Sea region are only symbolic. The Global Times reporter combed through the last three so-called exercises: the Philippines and the United States held a joint exercise on July 31 in which only two ships participated; the Philippines and Japan held their first joint exercise on the 2nd of this month in which only two ships participated; and in the latest Philippine-U.S.-Canada-Australia exercise held on the 7th of this month, a total of four ships participated, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that Australia didn't send any ships to participate in the exercise, and only deployed a The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that the Australian side did not send any ships to participate in the exercise, but only deployed a P-8 surveillance aircraft.
Zhang Junsha analyzed: "From the Philippine point of view, whether it is ships or command and control system with the United States and Japan and other countries have a big gap, can not implement effective joint operations, more is the hope that through this exercise to make the outside world that the United States and Japan and other countries are behind the scenes supporters, for its own provocative actions to strengthen the courage."
Zhang Junshe further analyzed that, in fact, these extraterritorial countries in the South China Sea issue will not draw fire, in order to the Philippines in the fire, "which the United States and Japan can be said to have the ability to give a helping hand to the Philippines, but these two countries do not have enough willingness to only want to let the Philippines to charge into the battlefield, they will not be thrown into it; and Canada, this kind of countries have neither the will nor the ability to, they sent a ship from far away to escort a ship. They sent a frigate from thousands of miles away is the best portrayal, this ship in the Asia-Pacific region can only brush the sense of presence, its combat capability is not worth mentioning." (Outlook News Agency)