Australia has launched its largest military exercises with Philippine forces, involving over 3,600 personnel in live-fire drills and a beach assault near the South China Sea. The exercises,

The Philippines coastguard claims that a fighter tailed one of its aircraft and performed manoeuvres at close proximity.

The U.S. deployed two warships Wednesday to a disputed South China Sea shoal where two Chinese ships collided earlier in the week while trying to drive away a smaller Philippine ship in a high-seas incident that raised alarms about maritime safety.