Beijing, May 31 -- Chinese state media on Sunday reported that its military conducted combat readiness patrols near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, even as Philippine authorities dismissed Beijing's claims of active tactical exercises in the region as "completely unfounded".

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theatre Command organised the patrols across the territorial waters, airspace, and surrounding areas of the shoal, which Beijing refers to as Huangyan Dao, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Beijing had previously announced the drills as a "countermeasure" against perceived violations of its maritime claims.

However, Manila pushed back against the narrative, stating that while Chinese vessels are...