China reveals why it patrolled South China Sea when US with allies was holding naval drills

China has long-simmering territorial disputes with a number of Southeast Asian nations in the South China Sea, a major shipping route US, Australia, Japan and Philippines hold first Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity in the West Philippine Sea on April 7. Source: X/@TeamAFP The Chinese PLA (People's Liberation Army) has revealed that it carried out "combat patrols" in the disputed South China Sea on April 7 as an apparent response to naval exercises by the US and its allies. The China's military carried out air and sea patrols on Sunday, the same time the Armed Forces of the Philippines, United States…