But PH ‘cancels’ participation in joint exercises with US, Australia, Japan
Japan, the United States and Australia are set to conduct naval drills in the South China Sea on Wednesday.
Kyodo News, citing multiple sources, said the trilateral exercise comes on the heels of increased tensions between Beijing and Manila after a China coast guard vessel fired a water cannon at a Philippine military-chartered boat near Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea earlier this month.
The Japanese news agency said the Philippines, which will host the vessels from the three countries before the naval exercises, “cancelled” its participation.
“The Philippine forces have canceled their participation in the joint drill since the three other nations’ aircraft are too large to land on the decks of Philippine warships, according to the sources,” Kyodo News said.
Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar could not confirm the reported decision of the Philippines not to join the naval drills.
“I don’t have the information right now. I am not yet aware of it. I will ask the concerned staff about it tomorrow,” Aguilar said.
The US Navy is expected to send its amphibious assault ship, USS America, while the Royal Australian Navy will deploy HMAS Canberra.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, on the other hand, will send its largest destroyer, the Izumo.
In June, the defense ministers of Japan, the United States, Australia and the Philippines held their first quadrilateral talks where they committed to step up security cooperation in an effort to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific amid China’s growing assertiveness in the region.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the annual Asia Security Summit in Singapore.
It was during the meeting when the defense chiefs of the four countries reportedly first discussed possible joint maritime patrols in the South China Sea.
