The Philippines, US, Australia and Japan held joint military drills as China continues to assert sweeping territorial claims in the South China Sea. The allied nations participated in the 6th Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) in the West Philippine Sea - the parts of the South China Sea within the 200-mile Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone - on 5.

Earlier, Chinese naval vessels attracted Manila’s ire as they crossed Basilan Strait on the way to distant-sea training exercise.

The Philippines and United States air forces conducted joint patrols over the South China Sea, specifically in the West Philippine Sea. This one-day exercise involved the participation of Philippine FA-50 fighter jets and U.

The same day, the PLA's Southern Theater Command's Air Force conducted a routine patrol over Huangyan Island in the South China Sea. Li Jianjian, a spokesperson for the theater command's Air Force, said the Philippines had worked with outside countries to organize "joint patrols", further undermining peace and stability in the region.

The Philippine coast guard says Chinese coast guard ships and a Chinese navy helicopter harassed a group of Philippine fisheries vessels conducting a scientific survey in a hotly disputed area of the South China Sea,

The air forces of the Philippines and the United States were holding joint patrols over the South China Sea, a spokesperson for the Philippine Air Force said Tuesday.

The training involved three Philippine FA-50 fighters and drills to enhance air domain awareness and joint combat capabilities.

Air patrol exercise underscores Manila’s efforts to assert its maritime claims while testing US commitment to regional security, analysts say.