US, Japan and Philippine forces jointly patrol in South China Sea after hostilities involving China

In this image made from a video provided by the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS), 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 Wednesday Dec. 4, 2024. (National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea via AP)

MANILA, Philippines (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 U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the joint patrol was conducted in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone by allies and partners to “uphold the right to " and "other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace."

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