China has conducted military patrols in the South China Sea while the Philippines was holding joint naval drills with the U.S., Japan and Australia, saying Manila is undermining Beijing's claims in the region.

According to Philippine media reports, the US, the Philippines, Australia, and Japan held a joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea on Wednesday. At the same time, Philippine media did not hesitate to hype the so-called Chinese "monster ship.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has offered to remove a U.S. missile system from the Philippines if China halts what he called its “aggressive and coercive behavior” in the disputed South China Sea.

Air patrol exercise underscores Manila’s efforts to assert its maritime claims while testing US commitment to regional security, analysts say.