US, Philippines conduct drills in waters near South China Sea

The militaries of the US and Philippines have carried out joint drills in waters adjacent to the South China Sea claimed by Beijing, amid a rising number of incidents between China and the Philippines in the vital Southeast Asian waterway.

Participating in the maneuvers in the Sulu Sea this week were ships and aircraft from navies and coast guards, along with the US Air Force, the US 7th Fleet responsible for the Asia-Pacific said in a statement.

It said the drills included “exercises in maritime domain awareness, division tactics, maneuvering” and search and seizure.

There was no immediate comment from Beijing on the drills.

In a new national map released in 2003, the Chinese government demarcated its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, with vague dash lines that drew protests and rejections from rival coastal governments, including Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Indonesia and the Philippines.

China has transformed seven disputed reefs into what are now missile-protected island bases, including Mischief Reef, which lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. The Sulu Sea lies inside that zone.

China has ignored a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated China’s extensive territorial claims based on historical grounds, and objects to activities by the U.S. military in the region - specifically those that challenge its island claims and threat to invade Taiwan, just north of the Sulu Sea.

The US lays no claims in the waters, but has declared that freedom of navigation and overflight and the peaceful resolution of the conflicts are in its core national interests.

The US also has a treaty obligating it to defend the Philippines if attacked and has been dispatching additional troops and weaponry to upgrade the island nation’s ability to defend itself.

China routinely harasses Philippine fishing boats in parts of the South China Sea, also within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, which extends about 370 kilometres from its coastline.

Meanwhile, China conducted amphibious drills in some of its closest waters to Taiwan as the self-ruled island’s president marked one year in office, state broadcaster CCTV said.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, detested by Beijing, vowed on Tuesday “to prepare for war to avoid war” and bolster the island’s economic resilience.

That morning, China sent several “armoured vehicles” into waters off southern Fujian, the eastern Chinese province closest to Taiwan, CCTV said.

Footage of the drills released by the broadcaster’s military outlet showed several camouflage-patterned tanks pushing off a sandy bank into the ocean.

Soldiers in orange life vests drove the tanks around floating obstacles, the roughly minute-long montage showed, backed by an operatic instrumental score.

“Soldier is our identity, training is our daily routine,” said one member of the Chinese brigade, adding: “We are always ready to fight.”

Sets of high-rises could be seen in the background of at least two frames.

China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to annex it, has held several rounds of large-scale military drills around the island since Lai took office.

Taiwan’s defence ministry said Wednesday it had detected 15 aircraft and eight vessels of the People’s Liberation Army operating around the island in the last 24 hours.

China’s drills were “routine” and “scheduled”, and there was “no impact on the security of surrounding sea and airspace”, Taiwan’s defence ministry said in a statement.

Marking the anniversary, Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office also slammed Lai’s “separatist position” that promoted “economic decoupling” across the Taiwan Strait.

Beijing was “willing to engage in dialogue” with Taipei but on condition that it accepts “the one-China principle”, spokesperson Chen Binhua said, referring to its policy that states Taiwan is part of China.

Taiwan’s Lai said Tuesday there was room for communication with Beijing if there was “parity and dignity.”

Agencies