The island nation has a territorial dispute with China within the space, and tensions between Manila and Beijing have been on the rise
The US and Philippine naval providers have performed joint drills within the South China Sea close to an space the place each Manila and Beijing lay declare to. Earlier, China had warned its neighbors towards cozying as much as Washington and destabilizing the area.
In an announcement on Monday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Command mentioned that the nation’s guided-missile frigate BRP Jose Rizal and the US Navy guided missile-destroyer USS Ralph Johnson had carried out maneuvers in Manila’s unique financial zone west of Palawan island.
Navy officers famous that it was the primary time the international locations held such joint Philippines-US workout routines in that space.
Earlier this 12 months, Manila agreed to permit US forces to make use of 4 further bases within the nation, prompting a warning from China that the Philippines was binding itself to a “chariot of geopolitical strife.”
In a video handle at a suppose tank convention hosted by the International Coverage Group of Indonesia in Jakarta on Sunday, Chinese language International Minister Wang Yi additionally admonished regional powers to not let a “tragedy” akin to the one taking part in out in Ukraine repeat itself in Asia.
The diplomat urged neighboring international locations to “promote regional safety by way of dialogue and cooperation” and denounced a “backstage manipulator” – apparently referring to the US – fanning the flames of controversy over South China Sea territorial disputes.
Late final month, Vice Admiral Karl Thomas, commander of the US Seventh Fleet, which is a part of america Pacific Fleet, assured the Philippines that Washington would again it in countering China’s “aggressive habits” within the South China Sea.
Thomas made his feedback three weeks after an incident through which the Chinese language Coast Guard deployed water cannons towards Philippine vessels attempting to resupply a warship that Manila had deliberately grounded on a contested South China Sea shoal in 1999.
Tensions between the Philippines and China have escalated since Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took workplace as president in Manila final 12 months. Marcos has solid nearer protection ties with the US and asserted his nation’s territorial claims within the South China Sea.
The US has additionally been courting different international locations within the area which have territorial disputes with China.
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