Philippines US hold joint maritime drills in South China Sea

MANILA – Coast guard vessels of the Philippines and the United States have taken part for the first time in joint maritime exercises with naval and air force units in the contested South China Sea, Manila’s armed forces said on May 21.

The exercises, held on May 20 in waters off Palawan and Occidental Mindoro, involved the Philippine Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, alongside the US Coast Guard Cutter Stratton and a US Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

The “maritime cooperative activity”, or MCA, which was the second for the year and sixth overall since the allies launched the joint activities in 2023, included communication drills and search-and-rescue scenarios, the military said in a statement.

“Joint activities like the MCA reaffirm the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ commitment to modernising its capabilities and strengthening defence partnerships to secure our national and regional maritime interests,” armed forces chief Romeo Brawner said.

Relations between the Philippines and China have been strained by disputes over sovereignty in the South China Sea, a conduit for more than US$3 trillion (S$3.88 trillion) of annual ship-borne commerce.

China claims most of the strategic waterway despite a 2016 ruling by an international arbitral tribunal that found Beijing’s claims have no basis under international law.

China does not recognise the decision. REUTERS

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