Thousands of US and Filipino marines launched 10 days of joint exercises in the northern and western Philippines on Tuesday, a day after China held huge drills around Taiwan. The joint US-Filipino exercises come amid a series of escalating confrontations between China and the Philippines over reefs and waters in the South China Sea,

China announced military drills near Taiwan in what it claims is retaliation for Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's 'dangerously separatist remarks' on October 10. Here is all you need to know.