US, Australia, Canada, Philippines stage hold sea drills in South China Sea

The United States, Australia, Canada and the Philippines held air and naval manoeuvre Wednesday in a show of force in the disputed South China Sea, where China has increasingly asserted its territorial claims. In an apparent response, China said it conducted air and sea combat patrols on the same day.

Adm. Samuel Paparo, who heads the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and top military and defense commanders from Australia, Canada and the Philippines said in a joint statement that they stand together to address common maritime challenges and underscore our shared dedication to upholding international law and the rules-based order. They said they were staging the two-day exercises to uphold unhindered passage in the Indo-Pacific region.

China has long claimed much of the South China Sea, a key global trade and security route, and vowed to defend its territorial interests at all costs. Its claims overlap those of smaller coastal states, including the Philippines and Vietnam, hampering their ..