US, Japan, Philippine conduct maritime exercises in South China Sea

MANILA — The armed forces of the Philippines, United States and Japan on Friday conducted a "maritime cooperative activity" within the Manila's exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, the US Indo-Pacific Command said.

The exercises aim to strengthen the interoperability of defence tactics, techniques and procedures, the US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement.

The activity came two days after the latest maritime run-in between the Philippines and China at Scarborough Shoal, a disputed atoll in the South China Sea. The Philippines accused Chinese coast guard vessels of firing water cannons and side-swiping a Manila fisheries bureau boat on a resupply mission in a contested shoal. China has maintained that its actions were lawful and professional.
On Thursday, Japan and the Philippines signed a 1.6-billion-yen (UScopy0.65-million) security assistance deal on Thursday to boost the Southeast Asian nation's maritime security and surveillance abilities amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea.

Both the Philippines and Japan, two of the United States' closest Asian allies, have taken a strong line against what they see as aggressive behaviour by Chinese vessels amid decades-old disputes over maritime sovereignty.

Japan will provide the Philippine Navy with equipment such as rigid-hulled inflatable boats and coastal radar systems under its Overseas Security Assistance programme to enhance its maritime domain awareness capabilities.

"The project is expected to contribute to maintaining and strengthening regional security and to enhance the security of the vital sea lanes, and will be of significance to Japan's security," Japan's embassy in Manila said.

The Philippine Air Force will receive equipment to support its air surveillance radar system, boosting monitoring capabilities, it added.

"The strengthened security cooperation reflects Japan and the Philippines' shared commitment to regional peace and stability," the Philippines' Department of National Defence said in a statement.

In July, the Philippines and Japan signed a landmark military pact allowing deployment of forces on each other's soil, smoothing military cooperation between the two countries.

Japan has no claim to the South China Sea but has a separate maritime dispute with China in the East China Sea.(Bangkok Post)