US, Japan and Philippines forces patrol in South China Sea after hostilities

A Chinese coast guard vessel, left, fires a powerful water cannon on a Philippine bureau of fisheries vessel near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea on Wednesday (National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea via AP)

The United States deployed a reconnaissance aircraft while Japan and the Philippines sent navy ships in a joint patrol in the disputed South China Sea on Friday, two days after the allied forces condemned actions by Chinese coast guard vessels against Philippine patrol ships.

The US Indo-Pacific Command said the joint patrol was conducted in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone by allies and partners to “uphold the right to freedom of navigation and overflight” and “other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace”.