China says Philippines ‘stirs up trouble’ in South China Sea with joint air patrol

Two FA-50PH aircraft of the Philippine Air Force take part in the joint Philippine-US maritime air patrols in the vicinity of Batanes and areas in the West Philippine Sea on Nov. 21, 2023 (Photo from Philippine Air Force)

BEIJING — China’s military said the Philippines has “stirred up trouble” in the South China Sea by conducting a joint air patrol with “extraterritorial countries” and then openly hyping it up.

China’s Southern Theater Command said it organized front-line naval and air forces to closely monitor the Philippines’ joint air patrol on Monday, and that troops “maintained a high degree of vigilance to resolutely defend national sovereignty”.

— Reporting by Liz Lee and Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Sandra Maler

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