US, Japan, PH jointly patrol South China Sea
(UPDATE) THE United States deployed a reconnaissance aircraft while Japan and the Philippines sent navy ships in a joint patrol in the disputed South China Sea on Friday, two days after the allied forces condemned actions by Chinese coast guard vessels against Philippine patrol ships.The US Indo-Pacific Command said the joint patrol was conducted in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone by allies and partners to "uphold the right to freedom of navigation and overflight" and "other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace."Those phrases are used by the three nations to oppose China's increasingly aggressive actions in the disputed waters.Two Philippine security officials said the patrol was staged about 40 nautical miles (74 kilometers) from Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, a fishing area hotly disputed by Beijing and Manila off the northwestern Philippines. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they didn't have authority to discuss such details publicly.China claims the South China Sea virtually in its entirety and has guarded it assertively with its coast guard, navy and suspected militia fleets. They have confronted forces from rival claimant states, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.Indonesia also has had faceoffs with Chinese coast guard ships escorting fishermen in the gas-rich Natuna waters in the southern fringes of the South China Sea.The joint naval patrol, the latest in recent months by the Philippines, the US and their security partners, was delayed by several typhoons that battered the region and was not in reaction to a confrontation on Wednesday that involved Chinese and Philippine ships off Bajo de Masinloc, the two Philippine officials said.The Philippine Coast Guard said Chinese coast guard vessels, backed by navy ships, fired powerful water cannons and blocked and sideswiped a much smaller Philippine bureau of fisheries vessel escorted by coast guard ships off the shoal.The Philippine vessels were delivering fuel, food, and other aid to Filipino fishermen in the shoal, which has been closely guarded by the Chinese coast guard since a tense 2012 territorial standoff with Philippine ships.The Department of Foreign Affairs protested the Chinese actions.The Chinese coast guard provided another account of the incident. It said the Philippine vessels encroached on China's territory, prompting it to take action. It said, without offering proof, that a Philippine vessel maneuvered in a way that led to a collision.The US, Japan, the European Union, and other Western allies expressed alarm over the hostilities, which have increased in frequency since last year.Japan, which also has territorial conflicts with Beijing in the East China Sea, said the "use of water cannon and obstructive maneuvers undermines the safety of ship and crew." Japanese Ambassador to Manila Endo Kazuya said, "Japan upholds the rule of law and opposes any actions which increase tensions."Japan is providing 1.6 billion yen ($10.6 million) in security assistance this year to provide the Philippine Navy with coastal radars, inflatable boats, and other defense equipment to strengthen surveillance of Philippine sea lanes, including in the South China Sea. Japan has also helped improve the Philippine Air Force's aerial surveillance radar, the two countries said Thursday.In a related development, a Manila-based think tank raised serious concerns about the growing presence of foreign military forces in Philippine seas.The concern was raised by the Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) and follows recent developments, including the installation of a US Typhon missile system in Ilocos Norte and the appearance of a Russian attack submarine in the West Philippine Sea.Reports of a planned US naval base in Misamis Oriental further intensified concerns.Recent satellite imagery revealed that the US Typhon missile system has been installed, stationed at the international airport in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, which is just a 30-minute flight from southern Taiwan.A Russian Kilo-class submarine was also sighted on Nov. 28, about 80 nautical miles off Occidental Mindoro, signaling Russia's active military presence in the area.Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has also announced plans to build more naval bases and airstrips to beef up the country's defense capabilities as part of the Department of National Defense's (DND) modernization program.The plans include a naval base in Misamis Oriental, which will serve as the Philippine Navy's central operations hub in Mindanao.Prof. Roland Simbulan, CenPEG chairman, said the developments are a threat to national sovereignty and security."Our country is being drawn into the geopolitical rivalries of global powers, and the people of the Philippines stand to lose the most in this dangerous game of chess. We must not allow foreign military forces, whether from the United States, Russia, or China, to undermine our territorial inte
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
(UPDATE) THE United States deployed a reconnaissance aircraft while Japan and the Philippines sent navy ships in a joint patrol in the disputed South China Sea on Friday, two days after the allied forces condemned actions by Chinese coast guard vessels against Philippine patrol ships.The US Indo-Pacific Command said the joint patrol was conducted in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone by allies and partners to "uphold the right to freedom of navigation and overflight" and "other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace."Those phrases are used by the three nations to oppose China's increasingly aggressive actions in the disputed waters.Two Philippine security officials said the patrol was staged about 40 nautical miles (74 kilometers) from Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, a fishing area hotly disputed by Beijing and Manila off the northwestern Philippines. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they didn't have authority to discuss such details publicly.China claims the South China Sea virtually in its entirety and has guarded it assertively with its coast guard, navy and suspected militia fleets. They have confronted forces from rival claimant states, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.Indonesia also has had faceoffs with Chinese coast guard ships escorting fishermen in the gas-rich Natuna waters in the southern fringes of the South China Sea.The joint naval patrol, the latest in recent months by the Philippines, the US and their security partners, was delayed by several typhoons that battered the region and was not in reaction to a confrontation on Wednesday that involved Chinese and Philippine ships off Bajo de Masinloc, the two Philippine officials said.The Philippine Coast Guard said Chinese coast guard vessels, backed by navy ships, fired powerful water cannons and blocked and sideswiped a much smaller Philippine bureau of fisheries vessel escorted by coast guard ships off the shoal.The Philippine vessels were delivering fuel, food, and other aid to Filipino fishermen in the shoal, which has been closely guarded by the Chinese coast guard since a tense 2012 territorial standoff with Philippine ships.The Department of Foreign Affairs protested the Chinese actions.The Chinese coast guard provided another account of the incident. It said the Philippine vessels encroached on China's territory, prompting it to take action. It said, without offering proof, that a Philippine vessel maneuvered in a way that led to a collision.The US, Japan, the European Union, and other Western allies expressed alarm over the hostilities, which have increased in frequency since last year.Japan, which also has territorial conflicts with Beijing in the East China Sea, said the "use of water cannon and obstructive maneuvers undermines the safety of ship and crew." Japanese Ambassador to Manila Endo Kazuya said, "Japan upholds the rule of law and opposes any actions which increase tensions."Japan is providing 1.6 billion yen ($10.6 million) in security assistance this year to provide the Philippine Navy with coastal radars, inflatable boats, and other defense equipment to strengthen surveillance of Philippine sea lanes, including in the South China Sea. Japan has also helped improve the Philippine Air Force's aerial surveillance radar, the two countries said Thursday.In a related development, a Manila-based think tank raised serious concerns about the growing presence of foreign military forces in Philippine seas.The concern was raised by the Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) and follows recent developments, including the installation of a US Typhon missile system in Ilocos Norte and the appearance of a Russian attack submarine in the West Philippine Sea.Reports of a planned US naval base in Misamis Oriental further intensified concerns.Recent satellite imagery revealed that the US Typhon missile system has been installed, stationed at the international airport in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, which is just a 30-minute flight from southern Taiwan.A Russian Kilo-class submarine was also sighted on Nov. 28, about 80 nautical miles off Occidental Mindoro, signaling Russia's active military presence in the area.Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has also announced plans to build more naval bases and airstrips to beef up the country's defense capabilities as part of the Department of National Defense's (DND) modernization program.The plans include a naval base in Misamis Oriental, which will serve as the Philippine Navy's central operations hub in Mindanao.Prof. Roland Simbulan, CenPEG chairman, said the developments are a threat to national sovereignty and security."Our country is being drawn into the geopolitical rivalries of global powers, and the people of the Philippines stand to lose the most in this dangerous game of chess. We must not allow foreign military forces, whether from the United States, Russia, or China, to undermine our territorial integrity," said Simbulan, who retired as a faculty of the University of the Philippines in 2019.Herman Tiu Laurel, president of another think tank, Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute (ACPSSI), is strongly against the reintroduction of US military bases and missile systems in the Philippines, citing constitutional violations and threats to regional peace.Tiu Laurel condemned the "unholy alliance" between the US and the Marcos administration, calling it a betrayal of the country's sovereignty.He warned of the risks posed by the US' growing militarization in Asia, emphasizing the Philippines' precarious position as a potential battleground in a larger global conflict.He also highlighted historical ties between the Philippines and China, emphasizing peaceful coexistence and cooperation over centuries.He criticized US actions for escalating regional tensions, contrasting them with China's advocacy for joint development and diplomatic solutions to overlapping claims in the South China Sea.CenPEG and ACPSSI both urge the Philippine government to adopt an independent foreign policy focused on diplomacy, peace and regional cooperation.Simbulan called for redirecting military budgets toward initiatives that address the urgent needs of ordinary Filipinos."The billions being allocated for military build-ups should be used to foster inclusive development, create jobs, and improve the quality of life for Filipinos," he said.Tiu Laurel echoed the sentiment. "Our country's resources should be directed toward long-term development projects that improve the lives of ordinary Filipinos, not to foreign military installations that do nothing to solve our people's most urgent needs," he said.Simbulan and Laurel warned that allowing foreign military forces to operate within Philippine territory risks drawing the nation into conflicts that it cannot afford. They called for a united stand to reaffirm sovereignty and prioritize peace and development over militarization.
