US and French Navies Hold Drills in Philippine Sea Amid Regional Tensions

Part of Mischief Reef in the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea on April 21, 2017. Ted Aljibe/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. and French naval forces conducted joint exercises to support free navigation in the Indo-Pacific region, the U.S. Navy announced Aug. 15.

These bilateral operations, carried out by the U.S. and French Navy, took place against the backdrop of escalating tensions between Beijing and Manila.