Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. shakes hands with Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese before the bilateral meeting at the Malacanang palace in Manila, Philippines, September… Acquire Licensing Rights
Published November 25, 2023
MANILA, Nov 25 (Reuters) – The Philippines and Australia began their first joint sea and air patrols in the South China Sea on Saturday, days after Manila took similar steps with the U.S. as Pacific nations warily eye an increasingly assertive China.
The three-day exercises, announced by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on social media, follow discussions by the Philippines and Australia early this year on joint patrols to underscore what they say is their commitment to a rules-based order.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 said China’s claims had no legal basis.
The Philippines is ramping up efforts to counter what it describes as China’s “aggressive activities” in the South China Sea, which has also become a flashpoint for Chinese and U.S. tensions around naval operations.
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RELATED: Philippines not stirring trouble in West Philippine Sea – Teodoro
Published November 25, 2023
MANILA, Philippines — China is “reversing the truth” in accusing the Philippines of stirring trouble by conducting joint maritime patrols with the United States military in the West Philippine Sea, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said yesterday.
“The Philippines is not stirring up trouble. This is a reverse of the truth, it’s an absolute falsity for China to say that, and it is once again reversing the truth consistent with its narrative,” Teodoro told reporters.
“Who’s occupying, who’s making incursions in the South China Sea, in the West Philippine Sea especially? It’s China,” Teodoro said.
“The Philippines is not stirring up trouble as we always reiterate. Our interests are to protect our rights in accordance with UNCLOS and international law which China purports to respect in words but unfortunately not in deeds, and so whatever China says about this, I think their credibility is very, very low,” he added, referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Teodoro issued the statement a day after the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the US Indo-Pacific Command completed a three-day joint sea and air patrol in Philippine waters.
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SOURCE: www.philstar.com
RELATED: PH rejects China’s claim on ‘foreign forces stirring trouble’ in West PH Sea
Philippine Navy warships BRP Jose Rizal (FF150) and BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PS15) during their tactical exercise in the West Philippine Sea on November 23 as part of the three-day maritime cooperative activity. Video courtesy of the AFP Western Command/file
Published November 25, 2023
MANILA — The Philippines’ National Security Council (NSC) on Friday said it “categorically rejects” China’s accusation that the country has enlisted “foreign forces” to “stir up trouble” in the disputed West Philippine Sea.
While China did not identify the alleged “foreign forces,” the United States held tactical exercises with the Philippines this week.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said the Philippines has the “inherent and sovereign right to conduct joint air and naval patrols with its partners, allies, and friends to ensure the security and stability of the region.”
“The joint patrols conducted by the Philippines with the United States are well within our rights as a sovereign nation and in accordance with international law, the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty, and the Visiting Forces Agreement,” Año said in a statement.
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SOURCE: www.news.abs-cbn.com
