The Philippines and Australia will soon hold joint patrols in the hotly contested South China Sea, it was announced by Australia’s defense chief.

“We are working closely together, doing joint sails is something that we’ve been keen to pursue now for some time,” said Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles in a press briefing on Friday.

“And our two defense forces have been working closely together about how to make that happen and to do that in the most effective way,” he also said.

“And we’re really pleased with the progress of those discussions, and we expect that the first of those joint patrols will happen in the not too distant future,” Marles added.

[This is absolutely awesome. Chinese heads have to be just ready to burst. ~ Beege]