Chinese vessels shadow US-Philippine naval drills in South China Sea near disputed shoal

The People’s Liberation Army said it dispatched vessels and aircraft to the South China Sea in response to a joint US-Philippine maritime drill in the waters near Scarborough Shoal over the weekend. The PLA’s statement came a day after Manila said four Chinese vessels monitored a US-Philippine maritime exercise near the disputed shoal, which was reported by Philippine media on Monday. A week ago, a rare stand-off between the Chinese and Philippine navies took place near the atoll. Over the...