France’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and accompanying warships were in the Philippines on Sunday after holding combat drills with Filipino forces in the disputed South China Sea in a show of firepower that would likely antagonize China.

French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle docked in the Philippines' Subic port after conducting joint combat exercises with the country's military. The nuclear-powered carrier has been deployed to the region as part of France's plan to play a more active role in the Indo-Pacific.

The countries' military exercises last week are likely to displease China, which claims ownership over most of the South China Sea. View on euronews