MANILA: Joint naval exercises held frequently by the Philippines, United States and other Western powers are helping rein in "aggressive" Chinese actions in the South China Sea, a Filipino military official said on Wednesday (Nov 6). Beijing has for years sought to expand its presence in the disputed waterway, brushing aside an international ruling that its claim to most of the sea has no legal basis. In recent months, China has deployed navy, coast guard and so-called maritime militia forces –