China has stepped up military activity around the disputed Scarborough Shoal after detecting a Philippine aircraft during combat patrols, according to the PLA. Beijing deployed its new Type 054B frigate Qinzhou and used the JL-10 aircraft in a readiness patrol for the first time, while the Chinese Coast Guard also intensified law-enforcement operations in the area. The moves come shortly after large-scale military drills involving the United States and its regional allies.
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