Should China be worried as the United States and the Philippines launch joint military exercises in the South China Sea?

Rebecca Wittner, an Indo-Pacific security researcher at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), a Washington-based think tank, also told our reporter that China and the Philippines were involved in the "Second Thomas Shoal" on the Ayunjin Shoal, forcing the Manila authorities to adopt a tougher attitude towards China:

"The two countries’ dispute over the Second Thomas Shoal has led to several tense incidents, including the Chinese Coast Guard aiming a laser at a Philippine vessel and separately using water cannons to intimidate. Interactions like these in the maritime space are contributing to the shift in Manila’s stance toward Beijing."

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