Chinese warships spotted in West Philippine Sea as United States deploy missile systems during Balikatan exercise

WEST PHILIPPINE SEA, PHILIPPINE - APRIL 27: A Chinese warship is seen sailing near several Philippine and United States Navy vessels partaking in a multilateral maritime exercise as part of the Balikatan drills, after Washington deployed advanced missile systems to the Philippines, in West Philippine Sea, Philippine, on April 27, 2025. United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier said Washington will deploy more advanced capabilities to the Southeast Asian country, including the NMESIS and highly capable unmanned surface vehicles during the annual Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) live fire exercise, amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. (Photo by Daniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty Images)