China on Wednesday carried out a "combat patrol" near the flashpoint Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea aimed at testing the "rapid mobility and joint strike capabilities" of troops, Beijing's military said.

China Coast Guard 08072024

Agence France-Presse

<p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; -webkit- text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.3; letter-spacing: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Tensions in the disputed waterway have spiked following a series of escalating confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels that have fanned fears of a wider conflict that could draw in the United States due to its mutual defence treaty with Manila.<p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; -webkit- text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.3; letter-spacing: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, brushing off rival claims of several Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, and an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

<img src="https://news-image-api.abs-cbn.com/Prod/editorImage/172300829385320240516-atin-ito-wps-MT-46.jpg" style="width: 950px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The presence of the China Coast Guard (CCG) persists despite the effort of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to block them and assist the four main vessels of the second civilian resupply mission of the Atin Ito Coalition to the Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea on May 15, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News "><span id="isPasted" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">The presence of the China Coast Guard (CCG) persists despite the effort of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to block them and assist the four main vessels of the second civilian resupply mission of the Atin Ito Coalition to the Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea on May 15, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News&nbsp;<p id="isPasted" style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; -webkit- text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.3; letter-spacing: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">China carried out a combat patrol to test &quot;strike capabilities&quot; near a flashpoint reef in the South China Sea on Wednesday, as the United States and its allies held joint military drills in the same waters.

China carried out a combat patrol to test "strike capabilities" near a flashpoint reef in the South China Sea on Wednesday, as the United States and its allies held joint military drills in the same waters.

China carried out a combat patrol to test "strike capabilities" near a flashpoint reef in the South China Sea on Wednesday, as the United States and its allies held joint military drills in the same waters.

China launches air, sea patrols near Scarborough as US, PH hold joint drills | ABS-CBN News

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China launches air, sea patrols near Scarborough as US, PH hold joint drills

China launches air, sea patrols near Scarborough as US, PH hold joint drills