Philippines warns China of 'severest response' over military drills

The Philippine warning to China over their territorial conflicts is the strongest so far this year and comes despite an improvement in relations since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016

The Philippine foreign secretary warned China on Friday of the severest response if ongoing Chinese military exercises in the disputed South China Sea spill over to Philippine territory.

Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr said China's People's Liberation Army has been staging exercises off the Paracel Islands since July 1 and Chinese maritime officials have prohibited all vessels from navigating within the area of the maneuvers.

After checking the coordinates of the no-entry zone, where the Chinese military maneuvers are being staged, Locsin said the waters off the Paracels, which are also claimed by Vietnam, do not impinge on Philippine territory