Chinese warships have been closely watching warships participating in the largest military exercise to date between the United States and the Philippines, held within the Southeast Asian country’s internationally recognized exclusive economic zone.
According to Capt. Ariel Joseph Coloma, spokesman for the Philippine military’s Western Command, the Chinese destroyer Shenzhen and a surveillance ship Dongdiao were spotted sailing within four to five miles of the participating American, French and Filipino ships, approximately 38 miles away. miles off the coast of Palawan province, according to local media reports.
This year’s exercise Balikatan, which means “shoulder to shoulder” in Tagalog, began last week and involves land, air and sea assets. It is the largest and most complex version to date, with around 17,000 military participants, including personnel from Australia and, for the first time, France.
These exercises are taking place against a backdrop of rising tensions in the South China Sea. Under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Philippines has been defying China’s increasingly aggressive actions to back its territorial claims, which span the exclusive economic zones of ally the United States and other neighboring countries.
Coloma assured that the multinational flotilla was not affected by the presence of the ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China. “As long as we continue to monitor and inform them, we will maintain control of the situation,” he told the Philippine News Agency.
Source: Newsweek
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