BEIJING/MANILA: A joint air patrol by the Philippines with the US was aimed toward defending territory and nationwide pursuits within the South China Sea, a Philippine army official mentioned on Tuesday (Feb 20), after Beijing accused Manila of stirring up hassle.
Philippine fighter jets and a US bomber airplane flew collectively over the South China Sea on Monday, greater than every week after their navies held joint maritime workouts within the face of simmering tensions over territorial claims within the space.
“That is to boost each armed forces’ interoperability and improve the capabilities of our air power (in) performing its mandate of defending our territory, sovereign rights and nationwide pursuits,” armed forces public affairs chief Xerxes Trinidad mentioned.
China’s army earlier accused the Philippines of “stirring up hassle” by conducting a joint air patrol with “extraterritorial international locations” after which overtly “hyping it up”.
Its Southern Theater Command mentioned it organised frontline naval and air forces to intently monitor the joint drills on Monday, and that troops “maintained a excessive diploma of vigilance to resolutely defend nationwide sovereignty”.
