The joint patrol on Tuesday over the Scarborough Shoal was the first by the longtime treaty allies since President Donald Trump took office again.

Earlier, Chinese naval vessels attracted Manila’s ire as they crossed Basilan Strait on the way to distant-sea training exercise.

The latest Maritime Security Threat Advisory from Dryad Global states that China’s military activity near Scarborough Shoal in

The Chinese military carried out combat readiness patrols in waters and airspace surrounding a hotly disputed Sea shoal on Friday, the latest in a series of exercises to reinforce its control of the area.

The South China Sea is a complex geopolitical issue involving territorial disputes, military tensions, and conflicting claims by littoral countries including China. Analysts say as the waterway is one of Beijing’s core interests, it is also listed as “highly sensitive” by censors.

The Philippines and United States air forces conducted joint patrols over the South China Sea, specifically in the West Philippine Sea. This one-day exercise involved the participation of Philippine FA-50 fighter jets and U.

The Philippines launched a comic book on Friday in its fight against what it called distorted narratives about maritime rights in the disputed South China Sea, a move which drew criticism from China.

Air patrol exercise underscores Manila’s efforts to assert its maritime claims while testing US commitment to regional security, analysts say.