China's military and coast guard conducted patrols near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on May 31, 2026, following a warning from the Philippines about ongoing security threats.

Scarborough Shoal is a heavily contested maritime area between China and the Philippines, often sparking disputes over sovereignty and fishing rights.

The People's Liberation Army's Southern Theatre Command stated that its naval and air units carried out combat readiness operations in the atoll's territorial waters and airspace, describing the patrols as measures against rights violations and provocative actions.

In parallel, China's coast guard reported law enforcement patrols targeting ships involved in activities considered illegal under Chinese regulations.

The Philippine defense secretary, Gilberto Teodoro, emphasized at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore that the country remains under a significant threat from China, both territorially and politically, despite recent easing of tensions between the US and China.Maritime standoffs between the two nations have occasionally escalated into collisions and injuries.

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea through its 'nine-dash line,' affecting the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia.In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled against China's maritime claims, a decision Beijing rejects.