Amidst China's aggression, Philippines warships hold sea exercises with Japan, US
South China Sea and aiming to counter Beijing's continuing violations of international treaty obligations, countries in the region are galvanising their defences.
Two warships from the Philippines and Japan each, for the first time ever, conducted a joint exercise in the contested waters.
This exercise followed a bilateral defence treaty, termed the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), signed between Manila and Tokyo to facilitate joint exercises for closer security cooperation, amid China's growing assertion in the regional resource-rich waters.
The Philippine Navy's Jose Rizal frigate on August 2 sailed alongside Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force's Sazanami destroyer and participated in tactical maneuvering, communication and photographic exercises in areas of the South China Sea that the Philippines claims jurisdiction over, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said in a statement.
«This activity was part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen regional and international cooperation towards realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific,» the Armed Forces of the Philippines said.
The Philippines Army stated that duing the joint sailing exercise two vessels -a Jiangdao-class corvette and a Jingkai class frigate- belonging to China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)- were observed tailing the formation.
The joint sailing activity formed part of recent similar activities undertaken by the Philippine Navy with the navies of allies like the US, Australia and France that aim to project the commitment of these countries
