Earvin Perias/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMANILA, Nov 25 (Reuters) - The Philippines and Australia began their first joint sea and air patrols in the South China Sea on Saturday, days after Manila took similar steps with the U.S. as Pacific nations warily eye an increasingly assertive China.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.
The Philippines is ramping up efforts to counter what it describes as China's "aggressive activities" in the South China Sea, which has also become a flashpoint for Chinese and U.S. tensions around naval operations.
The patrols will be carried out in the West Philippine Sea, said Philippine Department of National Defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong, using Manila's term for waters in the South China Sea that fall within its exclusive economic zone.
China has accused the Philippines of enlisting "foreign forces" to patrol the South China Sea and stirring up trouble.
Persons:
Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Anthony Albanese, Earvin, China's, Richard Marles, Marcos, Marles, Arsenio Andolong, Karen Lema, William Mallard
Organizations:
Australia's, Rights, Australia, ., Philippine, Australian Defence Force, Armed Forces, Philippine Department of National Defense, South China, Toowoomba, Cooperative, Thomson
Locations:
Manila, Philippines, Rights MANILA, South, China, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, South China, U.S, West Philippine, Philippine, United, Taiwan, West Philippine Sea