Philippines, US launch joint maritime and air patrols in South China Sea

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr announced the commencement of joint maritime and air patrols in the South China Sea with the United States military on Tuesday. Marcos characterised this move as a “significant initiative,” emphasising the deepening ties between the two defence treaty allies this year. As part of this collaboration, the Philippines has decided to nearly double the number of bases accessible to the US military, including those facing Taiwan, reported Reuters. “This significant initiative is a testament to our commitment to bolster the interoperability of our military forces in conducting maritime and air patrols,” Marcos said. The announcement follows Marcos’s statement in Hawaii a day earlier, where he described the situation in the South China Sea as more “dire than it was before,” citing the Chinese military’s proximity to the Philippine coastline. The decision to conduct joint patrols is expected to provoke China, which has previously cautioned the Philippines against engaging in activities with the United States that could escalate regional tensions.

China claims most of the South China Sea through a “nine-dash line” that stretches as far as 1,500 km (900 miles) south of its mainland, cutting into the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of rival claimants such as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, according to Reuters.

Relations between the Philippines and China have deteriorated under Marcos, marked by repeated standoffs in disputed waters and heightened rhetoric, raising concerns about a potential escalation. With inputs from agencies