The Chinese military issued a warning to the Philippines, a key United States ally, over a joint naval drill with an American aircraft carrier in the contested South China Sea.

American, Japanese and Philippine vessels, including the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz , conducted the Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity from Friday to Saturday to demonstrate "growing regional unity and cooperation," the Philippine military said.

"We solemnly urge the Philippine side to immediately stop provoking incidents and escalating tensions," said the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army, which oversees Chinese military operations in the South China Sea , on Sunday.

Why It Matters

China has made sweeping territorial claims, based on what it describes as " historic righ

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