The Philippines and the United States have ramped up security arrangements under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. against a backdrop of rising tension between Manila and Beijing

U.S. and Philippine fighter aircraft have staged a joint patrol and training over a disputed South China Sea shoal where Chinese fighter jets fired flares last year to drive away a Philippine aircraft

Earlier, Chinese naval vessels attracted Manila’s ire as they crossed Basilan Strait on the way to distant-sea training exercise.

The air forces of the Philippines and the United States were holding joint patrols over the South China Sea on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Philippine Air Force said, as Manila said it was monitoring three Chinese vessels in its maritime zones.

The Chinese military carried out combat readiness patrols in waters and airspace surrounding a hotly disputed Sea shoal on Friday, the latest in a series of exercises to reinforce its control of the area.