in Shanghai

China’s navy conducted a “routine patrol” in the contested waters of theSouth China Sea as “deterrence” on the same day the PLA mounted a massive military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War II.

The patrol on Wednesday took place in the wake ofExercise Alon, the biggest-ever joint drill between Australia and the Philippines, which ran from August 15 to 29. A Canadian frigate also took part in the exercise, while several countries, including the United States, sent observers.

“Any attempt to stir up trouble or create tensions in the South China Sea will never succeed,” Senior Colonel Tian Junli, spokesman for China’s Southern Theatre Command, said in a statement on Thursday.

He said the theatre forces “remain on high alert at all times, determined to safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests”.

The pledge came as China capped a busy week of grand diplomacy, including its massive military parade in the heart of the Chinese capital and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, both of which were attended by dozens of state leaders anddrew global attention.