The air forces of the Philippines and the US held joint patrols over the South China Sea on Tuesday, a move that angered China, which also conducted a “routine patrol” over the disputed Scarborough Shoal. The Philippines and the US have boosted security arrangements under President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. amid rising tension between Manila and Beijing due to overlapping claims in the waterway. The one-day exercise by the treaty allies took place in the West Philippine Sea, Philippine Air Force spokesperson Maria Consuelo Castillo said, using Manila’s term for waters in the South China Sea that fall within its exclusive economic zone.

Philippines, US hold joint air patrol over South China Sea, angering China. (2025, February 5). BusinessWorld, p. S1/12.