Key Facts

• China deployed a Jiangkai-class guided-missile frigate and three coast guard cutters over the weekend.
• The U.S. Coast Guard and Philippine navy and coast guard conducted joint drills less than 60 miles from Scarborough Shoal.
• Scarborough Shoal is a fishing area China took from the Philippines in 2012, leading to ongoing tensions.
• China calls its patrols "routine" and accuses the Philippines of working with countries outside the region to harm peace.
• The U.S. and Philippines call their drills "maritime cooperative activities" aimed at strengthening regional security and cooperation.
• The exercises included search-and-rescue operations, ship maneuvers, and sharing information on maritime activity.
• The drills support a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region.
• China has previously declared a nature reserve over much of Scarborough Shoal and placed structures there, which the Philippines views as a violation of its sovereignty.