The Philippines, US, Australia and Japan held joint military drills as China continues to assert sweeping territorial claims in the South China Sea. The allied nations participated in the 6th Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) in the West Philippine Sea - the parts of the South China Sea within the 200-mile Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone - on 5.

According to Philippine media reports, the US, the Philippines, Australia, and Japan held a joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea on Wednesday. At the same time, Philippine media did not hesitate to hype the so-called Chinese "monster ship.

China has conducted military patrols in the South China Sea while the Philippines was holding joint naval drills with the U.S., Japan and Australia, saying Manila is undermining Beijing's claims in the region.

Three Chinese Navy warships sailed through Philippine territory as tensions escalated over the South China Sea. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) vessels reportedly violated maritime protocols as they entered Philippine archipelagic waters without proper identification,