BEIJING, Aug 29 (Reuters) - China's coast guard said it conducted patrols on Friday in the waters surrounding the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the busy waterway of the South China Sea.
The coast guard has stepped up law enforcement patrols in the area since the beginning of August, it said in a statement, adding that it would "safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests".
The Philippine embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to an emailed query about the statement.