China conducts patrols at disputed reef after restarting talks with Philippines

The talks were also the first broader discussion on bilateral relations since March 2023, aimed at confidence building among others, the Philippine foreign ministry said on Saturday.

Recent maritime confrontations have heightened tensions, with Manila accusing Beijing of "dangerous manoeuvres" and deploying water cannon to interfere with its resupply missions in contested areas.

"Such patrols serve as an effective countermeasure to cope with all sorts of rights-violation and provocative acts," the Chinese military's Southern Theatre Command said in a statement on Sunday.

The Philippine embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Ju-min Park, Yukun Zhang; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)