MANILA — The United States and Japan participated alongside the Philippines in a series of maritime drills conducted in the South China Sea, even as tensions between Manila and Beijing escalated following a string of confrontations between vessels from both nations in the contested region.
The five-day exercises, which ran from July 21 through July 25, brought together warships, coast guard vessels, and both surveillance and fighter aircraft. According to the Philippine military, the goal was to strengthen the ability of the allied nations to operate together effectively.
These drills are part of a broader pattern of joint military exercises that have grown in both size and frequency in recent years. The Philippines, with backing from the U.S. and Japan, has been pushing back against China’s expansive territorial claims over much of the South China Sea.
The Philippine military said in a statement that the exercises highlighted “the enduring partnership among the partner nations in promoting peace, stability, and security in the Indo-Pacific region.” Officials did not reveal the precise location where the drills took place. Chinese naval and coast guard ships have been present in the area during past joint exercises.
The drills got underway one day after the Philippines reported that Chinese Coast Guard personnel had struck a Filipino sailor with a baton at the Second Thomas Shoal. China disputed that account, claiming Philippine vessels had been the aggressors and had rammed Chinese boats.
During the exercise period, the Philippine Coast Guard reported that its Chinese counterpart fired water cannons at Philippine government vessels near the Scarborough Shoal on both Thursday and Friday. China responded by saying it had taken lawful action after Philippine vessels “insisted on intruding” into the area.
On Saturday, the newly appointed chief of staff of the Philippine armed forces, Antonio Nafarrete, traveled to Thitu Island — a Philippine-occupied outpost in the disputed Spratly Islands, located roughly 300 miles (480 kilometers) west of the Philippine province of Palawan. Nafarrete spoke with troops stationed there, telling them their presence was critical to defending the outpost, and he promised support to boost their operational readiness.
China asserts sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea and continues to reject a 2016 international arbitration ruling that found its claims to be invalid.
