China slams Philippines, US 'provocative military activities' in South China Sea

BEIJING, China (Updated 4:50 p.m.) — China on Thursday slammed what it called "provocative" moves by the United States and its ally the Philippines in the South China Sea, as both sides held drills in the disputed waters.

Warships from China and the US conducted rival exercises in the sea this week amid heightened tensions involving US ally the Philippines.

Beijing's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command Wednesday said a two-day deployment of its navy and air force, scheduled to end today, was carrying out "routine patrols" in the sea.

It did not mention where exactly the patrols took place or give specific details of the goals of the exercises.

They took place as the United States said an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson was conducting two days of drills with the Philippine Navy.

Beijing condemned those manoeuvres as "provocative military activities" aimed at "flaunting their military might".

Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the exercises were "detrimental to management and control of the maritime situation and related disputes".

"We urge relevant countries to stop their irresponsible actions and earnestly respect the efforts of countries in the region to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea," he said.

Beijing, he pledged, would "continue to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests".

Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea and has ignored an international tribunal ruling that its assertions have no legal basis.

It deploys boats to patrol the busy waterway and has built artificial islands that it has militarised to reinforce its claims.

And while China typically uses its coast guard to enforce its claims in the area, military exercises are not uncommon, with Beijing's navy conducting "routine" drills in late November.

Footage from Chinese state broadcaster CCTV showed what Beijing called a "live fire drill", with aircraft flying over the seas and one jet firing a missile.

This week's drills follow a month of tense standoffs between China and the Philippines in disputed reefs in the area that saw a collision between vessels from the two countries and