Philippines and allies launch drills amid tensions in South China Sea
Photo: The Philippine Army conducts military exercises in the South China Sea (navytimes.com)
The armed forces of the Philippines, the United States, and four other countries have begun joint naval exercises off the coast of the Philippines' northern Luzon, which borders Taiwan, according to Reuters.
This year's exercises, called "Sama-Sama," meaning unity, involve nearly 1,000 sailors and personnel from Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the United States, and the Philippines. They focus on high-intensity anti-submarine, anti-landing, and air defense operations training.
US Navy Rear Admiral Todd Cimicata told reporters in the port of Subic, to the west of Manila, that building partnerships with key allies create a deterrent effect. However, he added that the exercises are not aimed against any specific country.
"The intent of these exercises is not to ruffle feathers. It's tailored for interoperability. Across the gamut, there are people that don't follow those rules, so we have to agree so that we can set those standards," Chimicata said.
The nine-day exercises will include the US Navy's Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Howard, Canada's Halifax-class frigate HMCS Vancouver and a CH-148 Cyclone helicopter, as well as Japan's ForceShin Maywa US-2 amphibious aircraft and Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft, alongside military vessels from the Philippines.
The exercises come more than a week after Chinese military forces announced that their air and naval forces conducted maneuvers in the disputed South China Sea, heightening tensions in a maritime area that remains a flashpoint for regional instability.
Chimicata stated that the exercises had been planned months in advance.
Further joint military drills
In September, the United States conducted joint naval exercises with Australia, Japan, and the Philippines. For the first time, New Zealand, in the exclusive economic zone of Manila, aimed to improve its armed forces' operational interoperability.
Washington's Marine Rotational Forces — Southeast Asia (MRF-SEA) will participate in at least eight exercises this year and next during their third deployment in the region, which includes Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia.
"This is the most robust formation that we've had. And it has also been conducting the most exercises since the inception of MRF-SEA," Colonel Stuart Glenn told reporters.
Escalation in the South China Sea
China claims control over nearly all of the South China Sea, but Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam also claim the area. This has provoked outrage from its neighbors and the United States, which has increased its security activities in the region.
China's Coast Guard regularly fires water cannons at Philippine vessels in disputed waters. Additionally, numerous collisions have occurred between Philippine and Chinese ships in the South China Sea.
In August, the Philippines and Vietnam held their first joint coast guard exercises.
In July, China and the Philippines reached an agreement aimed at ending confrontations over the Second Thomas Shoal.
