Fact-check: Recent X posts from Global Times (March 1, 2026) confirm PLA Southern Theater Command naval and air units conducted readiness patrols in the territorial sea and airspace around Huangyan Dao/Scarborough Shoal, entering areas claimed for joint patrols by Philippines, US, Japan, and Australia; additional posts and Global Times web articles detail ongoing CCG law enforcement patrols in the area since February, consistent with the article's claims of intensified operations amid South China Sea tensions. No contradicting evidence found.
PLA Southern Theater Command, CCG step up law enforcement around China's Huangyan Dao
China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command and the China Coast Guard (CCG) have intensified law enforcement operations around Huangyan Dao, known internationally as Scarborough Shoal. The move signals continued Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea, reinforcing its territorial claims over the disputed feature. This escalation is likely to heighten tensions with the Philippines and other regional claimants, as well as the United States, which has treaty obligations wit