The United States, Japan, and the Philippines recently conducted a five-day joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea, involving warships, coast guard vessels, as well as reconnaissance and combat aircraft, to further enhance the three countries’ maritime cooperation and operational capabilities.
The Philippine military stated on Sunday (July 26) that the exercise took place from July 21 to 25, with the participation of warships from the US, Japan, and the Philippines. The Philippine Coast Guard also deployed patrol vessels for the exercise, while military aircraft from the US and the Philippines were also involved.
According to the US Indo-Pacific Command, the “Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity” included anti-submarine warfare training, practicing standard operating procedures and relevant tactics to enhance the maritime operational capabilities of all participating parties.
The exercise also focused on improving the tactical interoperability among the participating countries’ forces, covering training aspects such as at-sea replenishment, vertical replenishment, maritime situational awareness, and squad tactics.
The US Indo-Pacific Command emphasized that the multilateral maritime cooperation activity was carried out in accordance with international law, fully respecting the security, navigation rights, and freedoms of all countries.
This exercise is the latest move in recent years by the US, Japan, and the Philippines to strengthen maritime security cooperation.
In recent years, tensions over sovereignty in the South China Sea have been escalating. The Chinese Communist Party claims sovereignty over a large area of the South China Sea, which overlaps with the sovereignty claims of neighboring countries like the Philippines. Incidents of standoffs and conflicts between Philippine and Chinese vessels have occurred frequently in the disputed waters.
On Friday, the Philippine Coast Guard accused Chinese coast guard ships of firing high-pressure water cannons at Philippine government vessels near a disputed shoal for the second consecutive day, marking the third standoff incident between the two countries in the South China Sea this week.