China on Friday refuted allegations that troops in South China have been preparing for war.

“The reports alleging that the PLA Guangzhou Military Area Command and the Navy’s South China Sea Fleet have entered combat readiness are not true,” the Ministry of National Defence said in a statement issued on its website on Friday.

Meanwhile, anti-China demonstrations advocated by some Filipino activists to stage on Friday did not turn out to be as large as claimed.

Around 200 Filipino activists reportedly held an anti-China protest outside the Chinese consulate in Manila.

China accused the Philippines of escalating tensions amid the row over Huangyan Island.

“Inciting anti-China protests was a mistake by the Philippines that has escalated the current situation and made it more complicated,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters in Beijing.

Reaffirming that Huangyan Island is an inherent part of Chinese territory, Hong said China…