The Philippines and the United States conducted their fifth round of joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea, as reported by Manila’s armed forces on Sunday, a development likely to provoke China.

According to a statement from the Philippine military, the “maritime cooperative activity” took place on Friday and Saturday, marking the first such exercise of the year and the fifth since the initiation of these joint operations in 2023.

Under the leadership of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., security collaborations between the two nations have intensified, with a shift towards closer ties with Washington. This has facilitated the expansion of military bases accessible to American forces, including those positioned near Taiwan.

The recent maritime exercises featured the U.S. Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group, accompanied by two guided missile destroyers, two helicopters, and two F-18 Hornet aircraft.

On the Philippine side, the Antonio Luna frigate, Andres Bonifacio patrol ship, two FA-50 fighter jets, and air force search and rescue units were deployed.

The Philippine armed forces stated that these activities “reinforced bilateral maritime cooperation and interoperability.” This joint exercise coincided with the Philippines’ recent objections to the presence of Chinese coast guard vessels within its maritime zone, including a notably large ship referred to as “the monster” due to its size.

The Chinese embassy in Manila did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment over the weekend.