MANILA: America, Australia, Japan and the Philippines will maintain joint naval and air operations within the disputed South China Sea on Sunday, their defence chiefs mentioned in an announcement, as they search to counter China’s rising assertiveness within the area.
“Demonstrating our collective dedication to strengthen regional and worldwide cooperation in help of a free and open Indo-Pacific, our mixed protection/armed forces will conduct a Maritime Cooperative Exercise throughout the Philippine Unique Financial Zone on April 7, 2024,” they mentioned in a joint assertion.
The train shall be held within the disputed South China Sea — which Beijing claims virtually totally — days earlier than US President Joe Biden is because of maintain the primary trilateral summit with the leaders of the Philippines and Japan.
Earlier this week, the Australian warship HMAS Warramunga arrived on the Philippine island province of Palawan, which faces the hotly contested waters.
Regional tensions have escalated prior to now 12 months as China has change into more and more assured in asserting its claims over waters additionally claimed by the Philippines and Japan, in addition to over self-ruled Taiwan.
In response, america has sought to strengthen its alliances within the area, together with with treaty allies Japan and the Philippines.
“Demonstrating our collective dedication to strengthen regional and worldwide cooperation in help of a free and open Indo-Pacific, our mixed protection/armed forces will conduct a Maritime Cooperative Exercise throughout the Philippine Unique Financial Zone on April 7, 2024,” they mentioned in a joint assertion.
The train shall be held within the disputed South China Sea — which Beijing claims virtually totally — days earlier than US President Joe Biden is because of maintain the primary trilateral summit with the leaders of the Philippines and Japan.
Earlier this week, the Australian warship HMAS Warramunga arrived on the Philippine island province of Palawan, which faces the hotly contested waters.
Regional tensions have escalated prior to now 12 months as China has change into more and more assured in asserting its claims over waters additionally claimed by the Philippines and Japan, in addition to over self-ruled Taiwan.
In response, america has sought to strengthen its alliances within the area, together with with treaty allies Japan and the Philippines.
