Philippines, US to hold exercises near reef

Manila: The armed forces of the United States and the Philippines will hold joint war games next week, near the site of the Philippine-China naval stand-off in the South China Sea that began since last year, a Navy source said.

US and Philippine Marines, aircraft, Navy ships, coast guard vessels, and special operations teams will participate in the exercises that will be held 108km east of Scarborough Shoal where Chinese and Philippine vessels had a stand-off that began in May last year, said Lieutenant-Commander Gregory Fabic, spokesman of the Philippine Navy.

The joint exercises will cover 12,347sq km of the South China Sea, off northern Luzon in the Philippines, Fabic said, adding it will be held from June 27 to July 2.

The exercises will focus on communications, counter-terrorism, maritime security and naval surface operations all of which will increase the level of inter-operability between the Philippine Navy and the US Navy in their naval operations, said Fabic.

War games are scheduled three to two years ahead of the event, said Fabic, when asked if the exercises were scheduled to strengthen the US- Philippines alliance vis-a-vis the latter’s stand-off with China that began last year.

Last year, the Philippines backed off during the stand-off, resulting in the presence of Chinese government vessels in the disputed area, which is within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

Since last month, Chinese vessels have been plying near Second Thomas Shoal, also within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

The Philippine has been depending on the US, an ally and a former colonial ruler, for its naval and air defence.

The Philippines has raised its complaints against China before the United Nations.

China, Taiwan, and Vietnam claim the whole of the South China Sea based on their ancient and historical rights on the sea-lane.

Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines claim some parts of the Spratly Archipelago off the South China Sea, based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which gives countries 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zones starting from their shores.

The deterioration of overlapping claims in the South China Sea could affect the growing economies of the 10-member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), analysts said.

China and ASEAN are set to discuss the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea they signed in 2002 to make it more legally binding.

ASEAN is composed of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Four ASEAN member countries are claimants of the South China Sea.

ASEAN could not negotiate with Taiwan because ASEAN member countries have diplomatic ties with China and they observe a one-China-policy.