Philippine and US forces will conduct joint exercises starting April 22, outside the Southeast Asian nation's territorial waters, in waters facing the South China Sea.
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| US and allied ships conduct drills in the East Sea on April 7. (Source: US Navy) |
The Japan Times reported that, answering foreign reporters in Manila on April 17, Colonel Michael Logico of the Philippines added that the exercise will "demonstrate the combat readiness as well as the interoperability between the armed forces" of this country and the US.
The main exercises will take place outside Philippine territorial waters. Up to 16,700 troops will participate in the US-Philippine maritime exercise.
Mr. Logico affirmed that the exercise was not aimed at China.
However, on April 18, Firstpost reported that Beijing warned Manila to "stay alert", stressing that US involvement in the East Sea would be the cause of more serious instability in this sea area.
Also on April 18, speaking to reporters from Manila before meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed "concern about the dangerous behavior we see with vessels in the East Sea."
Expressing his "want to see de-escalation and tensions resolved diplomatically," Mr. Luxon said: "Our desire in the East Sea is to ensure that all parties truly respect international law because of concerns about some actions that have unsafe behavior at sea."
Asked whether New Zealand was open to more maritime exercises in the South China Sea, Mr Luxon said that was not being considered “at this time, but Wellington is open to considering all of those things at the appropriate time”.
Mr. Luxon discussed the South China Sea issue with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as well as Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, and it will certainly be a topic of discussion with Philippine President Marcos.
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