During the large-scale joint military exercise between the Philippines and the United States, the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong has repeatedly sailed through the Philippines’ economic waters. Officials from the Philippine Navy stated that the movements of the Shandong were not seen as disruptive to the Philippine-U.S. exercise, but the Philippine side continues to closely monitor the situation.
The Philippines and the U.S. kicked off the “Balikatan” joint military exercise on the 21st. On the 22nd, the Philippine side detected the presence of the Shandong in the waters north of Luzon Island, sailing from west to east; on the 25th, the Shandong was once again monitored sailing back from east to central.
Philippine Navy spokesperson Roy Vincent Trinidad mentioned at a press conference on April 28 that the Philippine side observed the Shandong and another Chinese warship conducting deck operations on the 26th approximately 120 nautical miles northwest of Ilocos Norte in the north of Luzon Island.
This year’s Philippines-U.S. “Balikatan” exercise will continue until May 9, with about 18,000 personnel from both militaries participating. The primary exercise locations are in the northern and western waters of the Philippines, and for the first time, various U.S. island defense systems are taking part to test their rapid mobility capabilities between islands.
The appearance of the Shandong in Philippine waters during the Philippine-U.S. exercise has captured media attention.
Trinidad explained that although the Shandong was within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the areas where the Shandong sailed are considered international waters rather than Philippine territorial waters, hence not classified as interference with the Philippine-U.S. military exercise.
Trinidad added that despite the movements of the Shandong not being seen as disruptive to the Philippine-U.S. exercise, the Philippine military remains cautious and continues to closely monitor the situation.
(Reprinted from the Central News Agency)