Philippines, Vietnam hold first-ever joint coast guard exercise in disputed waters

MANILA – Crew of Philippine and Vietnamese vessels blasted a boat with water cannons and simulated a search and rescue on Aug 9, in the first such joint exercises between the coast guards of two countries that have faced off with Beijing in the South China Sea.

Vietnam’s 90m-long ship CSB 8002, which arrived at the port of Manila on Aug 5, joined the Philippine offshore patrol vessel BRP Gabriela Silang for simulated drills in firefighting, rescue and medical response.

The exercises are the latest collaboration between countries that are locked in long-running disputes with Beijing over territory in the South China Sea, or concerned about freedom of navigation and activities of Chinese vessels in the key trade route.

“Our exercise is more on the humanitarian side,” Captain Lawrence Roque, commanding officer of BRP Gabriela Silang, told reporters onboard.

“We hope for more of these activities because the sea is large and many will need assistance from the coast guard.”

The drills with Vietnam came as the Philippines on Aug 8

completed two days of maritime exercises

with the militaries of Australia, Canada and the United States, the first involving the four countries, which Manila said was to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, which it asserts through a large deployment of coast guard in areas that include the exclusive economic zones of its neighbours.

The Chinese coast guard has been accused of aggression and of disrupting fisheries and energy activities of countries like Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, testing relations and raising concerns about escalations.

China typically says its coast guard is acting professionally and lawfully to protect its territory from trespassers. REUTERS