20-2-2024 (MANILA) In a show of strengthened defence ties, the United States and the Philippines conducted a joint air patrol over areas facing the disputed South China Sea, further heightening maritime tensions. The Philippine Air Force announced the collaborative patrol with the US Pacific Air Forces on Monday, covering the western part of the Southeast Asian nation’s main island.
The Philippine Air Force highlighted the cooperative activity’s aim to enhance collaboration between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and their US counterparts in a Facebook post. The post included photos and videos documenting the joint patrol.
China’s Southern Theatre Command responded with criticism, branding the air patrol as a mere publicity stunt. China accused the Philippines of disrupting order in the South China Sea by involving countries outside the region and asserted that its troops would maintain a high level of vigilance to defend national sovereignty.
Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Philippines has strengthened its longstanding defence alliance with the US. The country has been vocal about and protested against China’s actions in the South China Sea, a region Beijing claims almost entirely. The recent joint air patrol follows sea patrols conducted by the US and the Philippines in the disputed area.
