US, Philippines hold drills near South China Sea

Beijing - The Philippines and the United States launched regular naval exercises on Tuesday close to the South China Sea, showcasing the US' high-profile military presence in the region at a sensitive time, experts said.

The 11-day exercises, called Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training, kicked off in the Sulu Sea, which is separated from the South China Sea by the Philippine island Palawan, AFP reported.

Two state-of-the-art US missile destroyers, along with the host's World War II-era warships, will patrol the Philippine waters of the Sulu Sea, AFP said.

"We hope relevant parties do more things that are beneficial to regional stability," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a regular news conference, commenting on the exercises.