South China Sea: The Philippine Coast Guard participates in US military exercises for the primary time

Beijing claims almost your complete waterway and views Taiwan as a part of China that might be reunified by force if mandatory.

Although many countries, including the United States, don’t officially recognize Taiwan as an independent state, they oppose any use of force to vary the present established order.

The US is deepening defense cooperation with regional allies, including the Philippines, to be able to counter China’s growing assertiveness.

The Philippines will investigate the influx of Chinese students into provinces near Taiwan

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Rear Adm. Armando Balilo said Thursday that for the primary time, Philippine Coast Guard ships will join the exercise called Balikatan, which implies “shoulder to shoulder” in Tagalog.

Earlier, PCG boats patrolled the waters across the exercise to stop intruders.

Balilo said six vessels would participate within the operation, including 4 44-meter multi-purpose rescue boats and two larger patrol vessels.

The Coast Guard Special Forces would also “undertake joint interoperability exercises” with the Philippine Navy and its counterparts in Australia, France and the US.

There have been several smaller collisions between Philippine and Chinese coast guard ships in recent months, raising fears of a broader conflict that might involve the United States and other allies.

There have also been multiple incidents involving Filipino Chinese Coast Guard ships firing water cannons, sometimes injuring Filipino crew members.

The Balikatan exercise will include a simulation of the armed recapture of an island off the coast of western Palawan province, near the South China Sea, and the sinking of a ship off the coast of northern Ilocos Norte province, several hundred kilometers from Taiwan.

For the primary time, the exercises will extend beyond Philippine territorial waters, which extend about 22 km (13.6 miles) from the Philippine coastline, Philippine Col. Michael Logico told reporters on Wednesday.

The US Coast Guard may even participate within the exercises.

Uproar within the Philippines over Duterte’s ‘treasonous’ take care of Xi within the South China Sea

Meanwhile, Manila’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country’s decision to strengthen ties with Japan and the US is a “sovereign alternative”, calling on Beijing to “reflect by itself actions” within the South China Sea.

“The source of tensions in our region is well known to all,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said in an announcement on Thursday.

“It is China’s excessive maritime claims and aggressive behavior, including the militarization of reclaimed facilities, that are undermining regional peace and stability and increasing tensions,” he added.

The Philippines, the US and Japan will strengthen cooperation to discourage Beijing within the South China Sea

The statement was in response to China’s criticism over the recent trilateral summit between US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr.

The three leaders jointly expressed serious concerns about China’s “dangerous and aggressive behavior within the South China Sea.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning told a briefing last week that Beijing opposes “the creation of exclusive circles within the region.”

Additional reporting by Reuters