China conducts naval, air patrols around disputed shoal in South China Sea

BEIJING, Aug 1 - China's military conducted joint air and naval combat drills around the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, the People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command said in a statement on Saturday.Here are some key details:• The drills were held in the airspace and territorial waters around the shoal, which China calls Huangyan Dao.• Chinese military described the exercise as a necessary response to actions by "certain countries" it said were undermining regional peace and stability. It did not name any countries, but the Scarborough Shoal is also claimed by the Philippines, where it is known as Bajo de Masinloc.• The exercise was aimed at testing and improving the combat readiness of China's forces to defend national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, the Chinese military said. REUTERS