8-4-2024 (MANILA) In a display of unity and resolve, the Philippines, United States, Japan, and Australia successfully concluded joint naval exercises in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) yesterday, amid rising maritime aggression in the region, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has announced.
The four countries conducted their first-ever Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), a move that the Department of National Defense (DND) described as a “show of unity” to China, as Beijing is “expected” to malign the exercise through propaganda.
“The MCA has successfully concluded,” declared Col. Xerxes Trinidad, the AFP Public Affairs chief.
DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong emphasized that the Philippines always welcomes opportunities to collaborate with like-minded nations, stating, “We’re just practicing what’s allowed under international law. As I said, it’s a show of unity. If they (China) consider it as a show of force, that’s up to them.”
Andolong further elaborated, “What we’re doing is something that’s practiced by all civilized nations in the world, and what’s important is that we’re doing this in the name of our national interest in the Philippines. As I mentioned, what we’re getting out of this is the enhancement of our capability and our interoperability with our partners.”
In a parallel development, China conducted military “combat patrols” in the South China Sea (SCS), describing the counterpart quad naval exercises as “creating buzzes.”
Andolong acknowledged that China is expected to belittle the exercise as they always do, stating, “We already expect that they will malign through propaganda what we are doing in this MCA.”
The MCA aims to enhance regional maritime security cooperation among the four countries and promote freedom of navigation toward the realization of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific.” Various tactical trainings were held, including anti-submarine warfare training, tactical exercises, and link exercises.
Contrary to concerns that the quad naval drills in the West Philippine Sea may provoke China, Senator Francis Tolentino argued that the program will help realize peace and stability in the region and serve the interests of the Asian giant.
“To the contrary, this would ensure stability in the region. China is not being provoked, but being made to realize that peace and stability in the region are, likewise, to serve their interests,” Tolentino said.
Senator Bato dela Rosa, in an interview over dwIZ, echoed similar sentiments, stating, “Let’s go ahead, we have to do what is right as far as we are concerned.”
“As for the preparation, it is our right to prepare and it is our right to use the EEZ even if there are conflicting claims there. There is a UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) ruling for that. They must respect it,” he added.
Dela Rosa also emphasized that the quad naval drills would help establish readiness protocols for the Philippines’ cause of action if the WPS conflict worsens, saying, “That’s good. At least other countries have shown interest – big countries have shown interest – in our situation in the WPS.”
In related developments, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has transferred the former anti-smuggling czar of the Department of Agriculture (DA) as the agency’s focal person for the National Task Force-West Philippine Sea.
Laurel issued Special Order 485, appointing Assistant Secretary James Layug as the DA’s resource person for NTF-WPS, after he was replaced as head of the department’s campaign against smuggling of agriculture products.
Meanwhile, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro condemned what she described as the militarization of the idyllic island of Batanes by the US, stating that the move is “highly deplorable” and could heighten regional tensions in the SCS.
Castro cautioned, “If China escalates its aggression in the West Philippine Sea, then we would be right smack in the middle of an inter-imperialist war.”
