Source: The Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office
The militaries of the Philippines, the United States and Japan conducted joint air exercises this week over the Bashi Channel, the strategic waterway separating the Philippines from Taiwan, officials said Friday.
Aircraft from the three countries patrolled above the Philippines’ northernmost Batanes islands in drills designed to demonstrate their “ability to operate seamlessly together in complex maritime environments,” the Philippine military said in a statement, News.Az reports, citing AFP.
The activities mark the first time that the so-called Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activities (MMCAs) involving the three nations have expanded beyond the South China Sea. In recent years, the Philippines and China have repeatedly clashed over disputed territories in those waters.
The Bashi Channel lies just over 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Taiwan.
According to the Philippine military, air operations were conducted within Philippine airspace and territorial waters north of Luzon, while participating naval vessels remained west of the Batanes island chain.
Armed Forces public affairs chief Xerxes Trinidad told AFP it was the first time MMCA operations had been carried out in the specified operational area, which extends to the northern tip of Luzon, particularly Mavulis Island. The island hosts small Philippine navy and marine detachments.
China’s military sharply criticized the exercises. Zhai Shichen, spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command, accused the Philippines of bringing in countries outside the region to conduct joint patrols and “disrupting peace and stability.”
He added that China had carried out what it described as a routine patrol in the South China Sea from February 23 to 26.
Tensions between Beijing and Tokyo have also risen in recent months. In November, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi drew criticism from China after suggesting Japan could intervene militarily in the event of an attack on Taiwan. Beijing responded with export restrictions and warnings to its citizens about travel to Japan, accusing Tokyo of attempting to “revive militarism.”
Japan’s defense minister further stated earlier this week that Tokyo plans to deploy surface-to-air missiles on a remote western island near Taiwan by early 2031.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has previously warned that his country could be drawn “kicking and screaming” into a conflict over Taiwan, citing the large number of Filipino workers based on the island.
The six-day joint exercise concluded on Thursday and included a live-fire gunnery drill conducted by the guided missile frigate BRP Antonio Luna.
News.Az
By Nijat Babayev
AloJapan.com