In the churning waters of the South China Sea, military maneuvers and diplomatic posturing have once again taken center stage. On August 28, 2025, a sizable multinational force—3,600 troops from the Philippines and Australia, joined by a Canadian Navy contingent and US Marines—wrapped up 15 days of joint military exercises dubbed Alon, the Filipino word for "waves." According to China Daily, these drills, the largest ever involving Philippine and Australian forces, were conducted in disputed waters near China's Huangyan Island and have become a lightning rod for regional tensions.
The Alon exercises included amphibious and land operations as well as live fire drills, a combination that, according to Chinese officials, signals an offensive rather than a defensive posture. Just two days before the drills began, the US Navy deployed a guided missile destroyer and a littoral combat ship to within 30 nautical miles (55 kilometers) of Huangyan Island, characterizing their mission as a "freedom of navigation operation." This move, reported by China Daily, was seen by Beijing as part of a broader strategy to embolden Manila and its allies.
Philippine Navy spokesperson Roy Vincent Trinidad addressed the purpose behind these joint maneuvers, stating that the Philippines aims to increase the frequency of such exercises with foreign partners to "deter China's aggression" in the South China Sea. Yet, as China Daily points out, this rationale is viewed with suspicion in Beijing, where officials argue that the real intent is to escalate tensions and draw in outside powers.
China's Defense Ministry has not minced words in its response. During a press briefing on August 28, spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang accused the Philippines of "courting influence from outside powers to make waves" and likened Manila's actions to "an ass in the lion's skin." According to Global Times, Zhang asserted, "China's actions to safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests are justified and legitimate. We will take firm countermeasures against any provocative behaviors."
The joint drills weren't limited to troops on the ground. The Philippines, Australia, and Canada deployed three warships and military aircraft for operations near Huangyan Dao, as confirmed by the Philippine military in an X post. The ships—the Philippines' Jose Rizal, Australia's HMAS Brisbane, and Canada's HMCS Ville de Quebec—sailed from Palawan province in the western Philippines. The drills, the Philippine military claimed, focused on simulations to counter aerial threats "through coordinated defensive measures." They also reaffirmed, in the words of the Philippine military, "the Philippines' commitment to advancing defence cooperation with like-minded nations."
However, Chinese analysts have dismissed these claims as posturing. Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert cited by Global Times, argued that Australia and Canada have "limited capacity in aerial defense in the South China Sea" and that their military strength in the region relies heavily on the US. Song contended, "So-called 'like-minded countries' have their own purposes and calculations, and the Philippines should recognize that enlisting countries outside the region to help it confront China only leads to a dead end—Manila will descend to an anti-China pawn and risk turning Philippines into a battlefield."
For its part, China has repeatedly emphasized its willingness to resolve maritime disputes through dialogue and negotiation, while making it clear that its sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable. As China Daily reports, Beijing insists it has exercised "remarkable strategic restraint" in the face of what it sees as repeated provocations by Manila. Still, the Chinese government warns that its patience is not infinite. "We will take firm countermeasures against any provocative behaviors," Zhang Xiaogang reiterated.
The strategic importance of the Philippines has not gone unnoticed by Washington. During a recent visit by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the Pentagon, both sides highlighted the country's unique geopolitical position—overlooking the South China Sea to the west and the Taiwan Strait to the north. According to China Daily, this location is seen as a potential "light-front, heavy-back operational deployment" zone for the US military in the event of conflict, a point underscored in an analysis by the People's Liberation Army Daily.
Yet, the broader regional context is fraught with competing interests and simmering distrust. While several countries have maritime disputes in the South China Sea, only the Philippines, according to China Daily, seems intent on turning its disagreements with China into a potential flashpoint. Critics in Beijing argue that the Marcos government is "enthusiastically acting as a pawn of Washington in the South China Sea to advance the China containment strategy of the US." The US and its allies, they contend, are less interested in protecting regional peace than in "establishing reliable regional strategic anchors and footholds for their containment of China."
Australia and Canada, meanwhile, have their own motivations for participating in the exercises. As Song Zhongping explained, both countries "hope to demonstrate strategic value in front of the US" by actively weighing in on the regional situation, despite not being direct stakeholders in the South China Sea disputes. Their involvement, he suggests, is less about defending regional allies and more about currying favor with Washington.
From the perspective of the Philippines, however, the calculus is different. With tensions running high and the memory of past maritime confrontations still fresh, Manila is seeking to bolster its security through expanded alliances. The government has signaled its intent to increase the frequency of joint drills with foreign partners, a move that, at least domestically, is framed as necessary to "deter China's aggression." Whether this strategy will lead to greater security or simply draw the country deeper into geopolitical rivalry remains to be seen.
For now, the South China Sea remains a theater of both cooperation and confrontation. The conclusion of the Alon exercises may bring a temporary lull, but the underlying disputes—and the great power competition that fuels them—show no signs of abating. As regional actors weigh their next moves, one thing is certain: the waves stirred by these drills will be felt long after the last troop has departed.