Philippine, Japanese warships conduct joint exercises in South China Sea

Warships from the Philippines and Japan on Friday conducted joint exercises in contested South China Sea waters within Manila’s exclusive economic zone, weeks after the nations’ leaders signed a military pact. 

The Philippine-Japan maritime cooperative activity (MCA) was held two days after Manila carried out a similar exercise with its defense ally, the United States in the same waters.

“This activity was part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen regional and international cooperation towards realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Col. Xerxes Trinidad, chief spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said in a statement. 

Tensions between Philippines and China remain high after they spiked in mid-June when a Filipino sailor lost a thumb in an encounter with Chinese coast guard personnel. However, the two countries say they are moving to “deescalate” tensions.

During the MCA, two ships from China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy monitored in the area “tailing the formation within four nautical miles and 4.9 nautical miles respectively.

“This did not interfere with the MCA, which successfully included communication exercises, tactical maneuvering and photographic exercises,” he said, adding that the joint drills “proceeded as planned.” 

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to BenarNews requests for comment on Friday.

For Friday’s exercise, the Philippine Navy deployed a guided missile frigate, BRP Jose Rizal, while the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) deployed its destroyer, JS Sazanami, said Trinidad, of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“The JMSDF and the PN are dedicated to promoting security and stability in the Indo-Pacific, demonstrating their shared commitment to upholding a rules-based international order,” he said using an acronym for the Philippine Navy. 

Analysts have said that the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) Philippines and Japan’s leaders signed on July 8 was intended to counter China’s increasing territorial ambitions in the sea region. The RAA, which provides a legal framework for Japan-Philippines military exercises, is subject to ratification by the Philippine Senate, but will likely be passed.  

Japan is not a party to overlapping claims with those of China’s expansive ones in the South China Sea. Other claimants to territory in the waterway are Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.

But Tokyo has a separate dispute with Beijing involving a group of uninhabited Senkaku islands in the East China Sea. 

China had protested the signing of the Philippine-Japan reciprocal access agreement last month, but Manila had responded by saying it was an “internal matter” that does not involve Beijing.