Philippines warns China of ‘severest response’ over drills

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine foreign secretary has warned China of “the severest response” if ongoing Chinese military exercises in the disputed South China Sea spill over to Philippine territory. Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Friday that China’s People’s Liberation Army has been staging exercises off the Paracel Islands and Chinese maritime officials have prohibited all vessels from navigating within the area of the maneuvers. Locsin said t