The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command (STC) and the China Coast Guard (CCG) conducted patrols in the territorial sea and airspace of China’s Huangyan Dao and its surrounding areas on Thursday. The PLA has deployed new equipment such as the Navy’s Type 054B frigate and the Air Force’s JL-10 jet.
On Thursday, naval and air units of the PLA STC conducted readiness patrols in the territorial sea and airspace of China’s Huangyan Dao and its surrounding areas. Huangyan Dao is an inherent part of China’s territory.
Since July, forces of the STC have enhanced readiness patrols in the territorial sea and airspace of Huangyan Dao and its surrounding areas. Such patrols serve as an effective countermeasure to cope with all sorts of rights-violation and provocative acts. They are meant to resolutely safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea, according to a statement released by the STC.
In a video released by the PLA STC, warnings can be heard from the PLA Navy vessel with hull number 555, the Type 054B frigate Qinzhou, and an aircraft directed at a suspected Philippine reconnaissance aircraft.
“Philippine military aircraft, this is the Chinese Air Force. You are 40 kilometers away from the airspace of China’s Huangyan Dao. Do not approach any closer, otherwise you will be intercepted.”
From the footage released by the Chinese military that the JL-10 (L-15) advanced trainer aircraft made its first appearance in a readiness patrol mission around Huangyan Dao, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Although the JL-10 is designed primarily as an advanced trainer aircraft, it can also be used as an attack aircraft, or a combat aircraft with ground-attack capabilities. As its characteristics indicate, the JL-10 has stronger low-speed flight capabilities compared with other fighter jets, making it particularly suitable for escorting away certain government aircraft, Song said.
Government aircraft generally fly at lower speeds, and those equipped with propeller engines are much slower than fighter jets. Therefore, converting a trainer aircraft into a patrol aircraft, or an attack aircraft with certain combat capabilities, makes it more suitable for conducting patrol missions in distant seas and open oceans, Song noted.
Meanwhile, as a trainer aircraft, the JL-10 has stronger adaptability to different airfields, giving the aircraft relatively strong maritime and air control capabilities in distant sea and air areas, and making it suitable for use as a force for air and maritime management and control, he added.
On the same day, the CCG conducted law-enforcement patrols in the territorial sea of China’s Huangyan Dao and its surrounding areas.
Since July, the CCG has enhanced law-enforcement patrols in the territorial sea of Huangyan Dao and its surrounding areas, took necessary measures including verbal warning, blocking and water cannon shooting in accordance with law and regulations to expel illegal and harassing vessels. Such patrols are meant to further strengthen orderly management of relevant waters and resolutely safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, the CCG statement said.
According to a video released by the CCG, Chinese coast guard vessels spotted multiple Philippine vessels entering the waters of Huangyan Dao and took measures to expel them.
“Philippine vessel 3012. This is China Coast Guard 3302. You are approaching the territorial waters of Huangyan Island [Dao] of China. We hereby issue warning: Stop your illegal actions. And leave the territorial waters of Huangyan Island [Dao] at once,” according to the CCG footage.
