China has issued a sharp protest after the U.S., Australia, and Canada joined the Philippines in naval drills Wednesday in the contested South China Sea .

The People's Liberation Army said it carried out its own patrol in the waterway that same day, with a Philippine official telling Newsweek Chinese warships were spotted shadowing the exercise from a distance.

Why It Matters

China and the Philippines , a U.S. treaty ally, remain locked in a territorial dispute as Beijing expands its presence in the latter's maritime zone. Beijing's forces have responded to Philippine challenges with blockades, ramming maneuvers, and water cannon, raising fears that a miscalculation could draw the United States into a conflict with its military rival.

China asserts sovereignty over more than 80

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