The U.S. and the Philippines hold a “shoulder-to-shoulder” military exercise in April 2016.
U.S. and Philippine defense chiefs held phone talks Saturday (April 10) to focus on the situation and threats in the South China Sea. Philippine and U.S. soldiers will conduct a two-week joint military exercise called “Balikatan” starting Monday (April 12), the Philippine military chief said Sunday (April 11). The exercise also comes at a time of tension between the U.S. and the Philippines and the Chinese Communist Party.
U.S., Philippine defense chiefs speak to focus on South China Sea situation, threat of Chinese militia ships
The announcement of the joint military exercises came after the two countries’ defense ministers held a conference call to discuss the joint exercises, the situation in the South China Sea and recent regional security developments. In a call with Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reaffirmed a shared commitment to the U.S.-Philippine alliance, according to a statement released Saturday by the U.S. Department of Defense.
“Austin and Lorenzana discussed the situation in the South China Sea and the recent build-up of People’s Republic of China (CCP) maritime militia ships on Bull Yoke Reef (Whitsun Reef). Defense Secretary Austin reiterated the U.S. commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region rooted in international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The defense secretary proposed several measures to deepen defense cooperation between the U.S. and the Philippines, including enhancing situational awareness of threats in the South China Sea.” The statement said.
The two defense chiefs also affirmed the value of the U.S.-Philippine Visiting Forces Agreement. They pledged to maintain close ties.
According to a statement issued by the Philippine Department of Defense, during the U.S.-Philippine defense chiefs’ call, Austin reiterated the importance of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the two countries. Lorenzana promised to discuss the matter with President Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte unilaterally canceled the 20-year-old VFA agreement last year. The agreement provided the legal framework within which U.S. forces could operate on a rotational basis in the Philippines.
Lorenzana also requested Austin’s assistance in expediting the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by U.S. company Moderna, which the Philippines ordered.
Austin will look at this matter and bring it to the attention of the appropriate offices, the statement said.
U.S., Philippines to Conduct ‘Shoulder-to-Shoulder’ Joint Military Exercise
Reuters reports that the Philippines announced after a meeting of U.S. and Philippine defense ministers that a two-week joint military exercise will be conducted from Monday. The exercise is designed to test the readiness of the two countries’ militaries to deal with threats such as natural disasters and extremist attacks. The U.S. side will send 700 troops and the Philippines will send 1,000 troops. This annual military exercise had been canceled last year because of the Communist virus pandemic.
“There will be physical contact, but it will be scaled back to a minimum.” Philippine Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said.
The dispute between the Communist Party of China and the Philippines has drawn increasing attention recently, with some 220 Chinese boats anchored in the waters around Ngau Yoke Reef on March 7. The Philippine government considers the fishing boats to be a militia and has lodged a diplomatic protest against the “massive and threatening” Chinese vessels.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the boats were just “sheltering” and that the Philippines should take a “rational” view of the situation.
But two weeks later, there are still more than 40 Chinese vessels in the waters around NiuYue Reef. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs warned on Monday (April 5) that diplomatic protests would be issued daily as long as the Chinese ships remain.
Philippine Defense Secretary Lorenzana accused the Chinese Communist Party of intending to further occupy the “West Philippine Sea (region).
Tensions have also risen recently between the U.S. and the CCP, and on March 22, the U.S. joined the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada in imposing sanctions on CCP officials for human rights violations in Xinjiang. The Chinese Communist Party subsequently took counter-sanctions. U.S. Secretary of State John Blinken also condemned the Chinese Communist Party for what he called “vaccine diplomacy.
“We should not tie the distribution of or access to vaccines to politics or geopolitics.” Blinken said the policy comes with “strings attached, with certain requirements and perhaps stronger requirements for other countries to receive vaccines.
Recent Comments