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China has warned the Philippines to cease what it calls provocative actions in the South China Sea, following joint military exercises between the Philippines, the United States, and Japan.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, China and the Philippines have beef over overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea. The Philippines maintains its sovereign rights over areas within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), including places like the Scarborough Shoal and parts of the Spratly Islands, based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Despite international recognition, China has rejected the decision and continued to claim control by building artificial islands, militarizing disputed areas, and deploying coast guard and maritime militia vessels. This has led to repeated clashes at sea, including ramming incidents, water cannon attacks, and dangerous maneuvers involving both countries’ vessels. In response, the Philippines has ramped up defense modernization efforts and strengthened military and diplomatic ties with the US and other Western allies.

What’s going on now: China has issued a warning to the Philippines, demanding an immediate halt to what it describes as “provoking incidents and escalating tensions” in the South China Sea. A spokesperson for China’s Southern Theater Command stated, “We sternly warn the Philippine side to immediately stop provoking incidents and escalating tensions in the South China Sea, as well as bringing in external forces for backing such efforts that are destined to be futile.” The Chinese military also said it remains on “high alert” and vowed to continue defending what it considers its sovereign territory, warning, “Any attempt to stir up trouble or disrupt the situation will not succeed.”

The warning came directly in response to joint maritime exercises conducted last week between the US, Japan, and the Philippines. The three nations carried out drills from Thursday to Saturday inside the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone, deploying naval vessels and aircraft to enhance coordination and regional security. US Indo-Pacific Command said the exercises aimed to reinforce a “free and open Indo-Pacific” and support freedom of navigation and overflight under international law. According to the Philippine military, the drills highlighted a “sustained commitment” among the allies to maritime cooperation and a rules-based order in the region (something China has repeatedly criticized as a thinly veiled attempt to contain its rise).

China also raised concerns about what it calls “external interference,” accusing the US and its allies of stoking instability in the region under the guise of defense cooperation. Chinese officials maintain that these trilateral drills are provocations designed to challenge its sovereignty, especially in disputed waters where it claims historic rights.

This all comes as China announced plans to create an 8,650-acre national nature reserve at Scarborough Shoal, a disputed reef located well within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone. The move has drawn backlash from the Philippines, which views it as a blatant assertion of control over territory it legally claims. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the announcement, calling it a “destabilizing plan” and accusing Beijing of using environmental protection as a strategic cover to legitimize its presence in contested waters.