China has rapidly expanded its military and become increasingly assertive ... primarily with the Philippines and Vietnam, though the Chinese coast guard has had recent territorial tiffs with ...

Asked how China may react, defence officials in Manila said they expected Chinese forces to 'watch, and we don't mind' The Philippine military has opened two weeks of combat drills that will include seizing an island in the disputed South China Sea and likely be frowned upon by China.

Philippine forces practised retaking an island in the South China Sea Wednesday in the first such combat exercise in the disputed waters as Chinese navy ships kept watch from a distance, the Philippine military chief said.