The air forces of the Philippines and the United States held joint patrols over the South China Sea on Tuesday, a move that angered China, which also conducted a "routine patrol" over a disputed shoal.

The U.S. and Philippines flew a joint patrol over the contested Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea guarded by Beijing's troops.

U.S. and Philippine fighter aircraft have staged a joint patrol and training over a disputed South China Sea shoal where Chinese fighter jets fired flares last year to drive away a Philippine aircraft

The joint patrol on Tuesday over the Scarborough Shoal was the first by the longtime treaty allies since President Donald Trump took office again.