US, Japan, Philippine Coast Guards to hold drills amid China tensions
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The US and the Philippines in April held the largest version of their flagship military exercises.
PHOTO: AFP
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MANILA – The United States will hold joint exercises with coast guards from Japan and the Philippines for the first time, starting this week, amid elevated tensions with China in the region.
The trilateral drills will be carried out from June 1 to 7 off the Philippine province of Bataan, facing the South China Sea, according to a Philippine Coast Guard statement on Monday.
The exercises will “strengthen interoperability” and will include maritime law enforcement training and manoeuvring drills, it said.
The exercises are unrelated to Manila’s sea dispute with Beijing, Coast Guard spokesman Armand Balilo told reporters.
“This is a routine exercise between coast guards,” he said, adding that the US and Japan both requested the joint drills.
The coast guard exercises are the latest display of cooperation between the US and its allies in Asia, as Washington’s competition with Beijing heats up.
About 400 crew members on four ships will join the trilateral exercises, with Australia and India possibly participating as observers, Commodore Balilo said.
The US and the Philippines in April held the largest version of their flagship military exercises,
The Philippine Coast Guard has been in the front line of lingering tensions with China in disputed waters, most recently having a near collision with Chinese ships.
Amid this spat, the Philippines under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has been bolstering its defence alliance with the US, with American troops gaining expanded access to Philippine areas
