Australia, Canada and the Philippines have conducted joint exercises off a disputed shoal in the South China Sea claimed by Beijing, deploying three warships and military aircraft in air defence exercises.

The Philippine military said on Thursday that the joint naval drills east of the Scarborough Shoal – a flashpoint for confrontations with Chinese vessels – focused on simulations to counter aerial threats “through coordinated defensive measures”.

Sailing from a western Philippine province of Palawan, the Philippines’ ship Jose Rizal, Australia’s HMAS Brisbane, and Canada’s HMCS Ville de Quebec participated, the military said, adding that the drills reaffirmed “the Philippines’ commitment to advancing defence cooperation with like-minded nations”.

China and the Philippines both cla

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