 "Philippines to hold joint naval drills with US, Japan, Australia in South China Sea")
Philippines is set to conduct joint naval exercises with the United States, Japan, and Australia, in a move aimed at bolstering military cooperation among the four nations to counter China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region.
Two diplomatic sources disclosed this information to AFP on Thursday, highlighting the deepening military ties among the countries involved.
Scheduled for Sunday, the drills will take place in the disputed South China Sea, an area over which Beijing asserts extensive territorial claims.
The exercise coincides with US President Joe Biden’s upcoming trilateral summit with the leaders of the Philippines and Japan, signaling a unified stance against China’s assertiveness in the region.
The sources, who spoke anonymously due to the drills not being officially announced yet, revealed that the joint naval maneuvers are part of a broader effort to enhance regional security and stability.
The arrival of the Australian warship HMAS Warramunga in the Philippine island province of Palawan earlier this week underscores the strategic significance of the exercises.
Described by the Philippine military as a visit aimed at strengthening military relations with partner nations, the presence of the Australian vessel underscores the collaborative efforts to address escalating tensions in the region.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsChina’s increasing assertiveness in asserting its claims over disputed waters has raised concerns among neighboring countries, including the Philippines and Japan, as well as self-ruled Taiwan.
In response to China’s actions, the United States has intensified efforts to reinforce its alliances in the region, particularly with its treaty allies Japan and the Philippines. The joint naval drills represent a coordinated response aimed at upholding regional security and promoting stability in the face of growing geopolitical challenges.
Biden’s summit with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House on April 11 is the latest in a series of meetings with Asia-Pacific partners.
Biden will also hold separate bilateral meetings with Marcos and Kishida.
The exercise and summit follow repeated confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels near disputed reefs off the Southeast Asian country in recent months.
Top US officials have repeatedly declared the United States’ “ironclad” commitment to defending the Philippines against an armed attack in the South China Sea.
Meanwhile, talks between the Philippines and Japan for a defence pact that would allow the countries to deploy troops on each other’s territory were “still ongoing”, a spokesman for the Philippine foreign affairs department told reporters Thursday.
Manila already has a similar agreement with Australia and the United States.
With inputs from AFP
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