China holds military drills in S. China Sea amidst manoeuvres by US, allies

China’s military has launched military drills near a territory in the South China Sea near Philippines.

The Southern Theatre Command of China’s Peoples Army said on Wednesday that it had carried out air and sea combat patrols near Scarborough Shoal to test “strike capabilities”, Al Jazeera reported.

The exercises came on the same day that the United States, Australia, Canada and the Philippines conducted military manoeuvres within Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which includes the West Philippine Sea.

A joint statement released by Canada’s Department of National Defence on August 6 said the combined armed forces of Australia, Canada, the Philippines, and the United States will conduct a Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone on August 7 and 8.

The naval and air force units of participating nations will operate together enhancing cooperation and interoperability between our armed forces, the statement read.

“The activity will be conducted in a manner that is consistent with international law and with due regard to the safety of navigation and the rights and interests of other States,” it said.

“We stand together to address common maritime challenges and underscore our shared dedication to upholding international law and the rules-based order,” it added.

The four countries reaffirmed the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal Award as a final and legally binding decision on the parties to the dispute.

The joint statement was signed by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr, Australian Chief of Defence Force, Admiral. David Johnston; Canadian Chief of Defence Staff, General Jennie Carignan and US Indo-Pacific Command chief Admiral Samuel Paparo.

Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said this is the first Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity of the four countries.

“The activity, the first involving all four countries, was conducted in our EEZ and within the bounds of international law. It supports the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Trinidad was quoted as saying by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

The Armed Forces of Philippines in a statement citing Trinidad said, “We can, however, confirm the presence of three PLA Navy vessels, namely PLA-Navy Wuzhou (FSG-626) Jiangdao II class corvette, PLA-Navy Huangshan (FFG-570) Jiankai II class corvette, and PLA-Navy Quijing (FSG-668) Jiangdao II Class Corvette, that tailed the ongoing MMCA.”

Trinidad also said the MMCA is “not aimed against any particular country” but a collective expression of support for a rules-based international order.

The Philippine contingent included the missile frigate BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) with a AW-159 “Wildcat” anti-submarine helicopter and the offshore patrol vessel, BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16).

Australia has deployed a Poseidon Aircraft (P-8A) while Canada sent the HMCS Montreal (FFH-336) and a Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone helicopter.

The USS Lake Erie (CG-70) and a Sikorsky MH-60R “Seahawk” helicopter represented the US.