2 Chinese vessels shadow US, Philippines ships

Two Chinese navy vessels shadowed Philippines and US ships conducting joint patrols in the South China Sea, the Philippine military said yesterday, as tensions flare in the region over disputed territorial claims.

"We confirm the presence of two PLA-N (People's Liberation Army Navy) vessels from a distance shadowing the participants of the Maritime Cooperative Activity," said Xerxes Trinidad, chief of the Philippine military's public affairs office.

The two-day maritime exercises involving Manila and Washington, which ended as planned yesterday, were the second in less than two months in the West Philippine Sea - what Manila calls the waters in the South China Sea that fall within its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The activities followed Beijing's warning to the Philippines that any miscalculation in their escalating dispute in the South China Sea would bring a resolute response.

"We are hoping that China and other foreign countries will respect our sovereignty and right to conduct the activity that is following international law," Trinidad said.

China's embassy in Manila did not immediately comment.

The joint patrols were underway when China's military said it would conduct routine patrols with its naval and air forces in the South China Sea but did not say where exactly the patrols would be held.