Ships from the United States and Philippine navies sailed together for the first time on Monday in the waters of the South China Sea, where Manila and Beijing dispute sovereignty over several islands.
“Ships of the Philippine and US navies conducted joint navigations in the West Philippine Sea (as Manila designates parts of the South China Sea under its sovereignty) on Monday,” Philippine Navy Capt. Benjo Negrananza confirmed Tuesday.
The maneuvers between Washington and Manila come at a time of renewed tension between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, which is claimed almost entirely by Beijing and where in recent months the Philippine Navy has denounced the harassment of several ships by of Chinese ships. the west coast of Palawan, southwest of the Philippine archipelago.
The American destroyer US Navy Alrleigh and the Philippine frigate BRP José Rizal sailed together through these waters, where they also carried out “approach maneuvers to other ships,” Negrananza said.
“This test seeks to provide an opportunity for the Philippine Navy and the US Navy in the Indo-Pacific to test and refine existing maritime doctrine and demonstrate their defense capabilities in line with their shared commitment to keeping the peace.” and security in the region,” the Philippine Navy explained. .
Since coming to power last year, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has reached out to Washington as a way of countering Chinese power in the region, allowing the United States to significantly increase its military activity in the archipelago, where it already has access to nine military bases.
China and the Philippines maintain a conflict over the sovereignty of several islands and atolls in the South China Sea, territories that are mostly located less than 200 miles from the western coast of the Philippines, the limit established by the UN to determine the maritime sovereignty of States, in a convention that China acceded to in 1996.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China’s claim to the disputed islands “has no legal basis,” ruling in favor of Manila, a decision that Beijing refuses to abide by.
Source: TSF
