Beijing: The Chinese military confirmed on Saturday that it carried out a patrol in the South China Sea on Friday, coinciding with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s reaffirmation of Washington’s support for the Philippines in its maritime dispute with China.
A spokesperson for the People's Liberation Army's Southern Theatre Command accused the Philippines of frequently seeking foreign involvement in joint patrols and spreading "illegal claims" in the region, which Beijing argues threatens stability.
Hegseth met with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila on Friday, marking the first leg of his Asian tour, which also includes Japan. That same day, the United States, Japan, and the Philippines conducted joint naval exercises in the South China Sea.
China lays claim to nearly the entire South China Sea, a vital waterway for global trade worth $3 trillion annually. However, its territorial assertions overlap with those of several Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Brunei.
