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By Ryan Chan
China News Reporter
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The Chinese military issued a warning to the Philippines, a key United States ally, over a joint naval drill with an American aircraft carrier in the contested South China Sea.
American, Japanese and Philippine vessels, including the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, conducted the Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity from Friday to Saturday to demonstrate "growing regional unity and cooperation," the Philippine military said.
"We solemnly urge the Philippine side to immediately stop provoking incidents and escalating tensions," said the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army, which oversees Chinese military operations in the South China Sea, on Sunday.
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Why It Matters
China has made sweeping territorial claims, based on what it describes as "historic rights," over maritime features in the South China Sea, overlapping with those of other countries in the region, particularly the Philippines, a U.S. mutual defense treaty ally.
The U.S. and its allies and partners have frequently deployed forces in the South China Sea, exercising freedom of navigation and overflight, as the Chinese military maintains a strong presence through its rapidly growing navy and Coast Guard to assert control.
The deployment of the Nimitz in the South China Sea comes as China has stationed a second—and its most advanced—aircraft carrier, CNS Fujian, at a naval base in the region, reinforcing its power projection capability to counter U.S. military presence.
What To Know
A total of nine vessels, deployed by the U.S. Navy, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard, maneuvered in the West Philippine Sea, according to press releases from the Japanese and Philippine militaries.
The West Philippine Sea refers to waters in the South China Sea that lie within the Philippine exclusive economic zone, which extends up to 230 miles from the coastline.
The two-day war game involved several "coordinated maritime and aerial operations," including maritime domain awareness contact reporting, anti-submarine warfare and cross-deck landings. Released photos show participating vessels sailing in formation.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said the exercise, the eighth iteration this year and the 13th overall since its inception, reflects its commitment to safeguarding the country's sovereign rights and advancing "collective defense readiness" with partners.
"The three countries reaffirmed their unwavering partnership in the region and will continue to work in close coordination to uphold lasting peace, prosperity, and security throughout the Indo-Pacific region," said the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, on the first day of the Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity, the Chinese military deployed a bomber formation for routine patrols in the South China Sea, Senior Colonel Tian Junli, spokesperson for the Southern Theater Command, said.
The Chinese military spokesperson accused the Philippines of frequently "colluding" with external forces to conduct joint patrols in the South China Sea, undermining peace and stability, and warned that any attempt to "infringe or cause trouble" would fail.
What People Are Saying
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Sunday: "These engagements highlight not only the Philippines' steadfast resolve to defend its maritime domains but also its shared commitment with partners to strengthen deterrence, enhance interoperability, and uphold freedom of navigation under a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific."
Japan's Joint Staff said on Sunday: "[Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity] underscores multilateral commitments to upholding the freedom of navigation and overflight, as well as respect for other maritime rights under international law, as reflected in the [United Nations] Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)."
Senior Colonel Tian Junli, spokesperson for the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, said on Sunday: "The troops of [People's Liberation Army] Southern Theater Command always remain on high alert, and will resolutely safeguard China's national sovereignty and security as well as peace and stability in the South China Sea region."
What Happens Next
The U.S. and its allies are expected to continue their joint military activities in the South China Sea. It remains unclear when China will deploy its newest aircraft carrier to patrol the region following the vessel's commissioning earlier this month.
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