BEIJING: China 's military said on Thursday (Apr 30) its naval and air forces held combat readiness patrols near the Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea. The patrols come in response to annual regional drills from April 20 to May 8, bringing together forces from A us tralia, New Zealand, the Philippines , the United States, Japan, Canada and France to showcase advanced weapons capabilities and operational readiness. The annual Balikatan or "shoulder to shoulder" exercises involve