Euro nations want to join naval drills in WPS

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SEVERAL European countries have expressed interest in joining multilateral maritime cooperative activities in the contested West Philippine Sea (WPS), Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr said yesterday.

Brawner said these countries, which he did not identify, “reached out” to the Philippine military after last Sunday’s multilateral maritime cooperative activity (MCA) held by the Philippines, the United States, Japan and Australia. The first multilateral MCA mobilized five warships and four aircraft for the one-day activity.

“After seeing the successful multilateral MCA that we conducted, they reached out. They are willing (to join),” Brawner said.

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Brawner said he does not see an escalation of tension in the West Philippine Sea if European countries join multilateral MCAs.

“We’re not violating the law. When we conducted that (last Sunday’s MCA), there is freedom of navigation in the area,” he said.

He also noted that the activity was conducted within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

No second multilateral MCA has been set. The Philippines has held separate bilateral MCAs with the US and Australia.

Brawner said the European countries’ interest in joining MCAs indicate they appreciate the Philippines’ efforts.

“We’re happy because they recognize the role of the AFP as the lead in asserting freedom of navigation and overflight in the area, plus the respect for international law and the international rules-based order,” he said.

“We are the lead and they appreciate what we are doing,” added Brawner, referring to the European countries.

Asked if Philippines, US, Japan and Australia have already discussed another round of multilateral MCA, Brawner said, “None yet.”

Brawner said the MCA contributed largely to the AFP “in terms of capability buildup and interoperability.”

The four navies conducted anti-submarine, communication, division tactics or officer of the watch, and photo exercises during the MCA.

“We now know that our Navy is interoperable with US, with Australia, with Japan… That’s huge in terms of military tactics, techniques and procedures. We learned a lot,” he said.

The military earlier said the MCA was a demonstration of the participating countries’ “commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific through interoperability exercises in the maritime domain.”

Two Chinese Navy ships were sighted about six nautical miles from the exercise area but did not interfere with the activity, the military said.

The MCA was conducted by the four countries amid continuous harassment by China of Philippine vessels in the WPS, including military resupply missions to the Philippine-occupied Ayungin Shoal.

MORE PATROLS

A White House official on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) said there is no reason for China to “overreact” to Sunday’s MCA.

White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby, in a briefing in Washington, also said it can even be expected that more, similar maritime patrols and exercises will be done in the future.

“I can’t speak for the PRC (People’s Republic of China) reaction, one way or another, except to say there is no reason to overreact to this,” Kirby said.

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China has reportedly conducted its own maritime drill at the same time that the quadrilateral exercises were conducted by the Philippines, the US, Japan and Australia last Sunday.

Kirby emphasized that drills are “about freedom of navigation” and “adherence to international law.”

“it’s about proving the simple point that we and our allies will fly, sail and operate wherever international law permits us to do and it does in the South China Sea, and we did,” he added.

“I think you can look forward to additional opportunities for us to conduct those kinds of maritime patrol. But they are really about reconfirming a simple principle about international maritime law in international waters,” he added.

Kirby said the US government views with great concern the growing tension in the WPS in the South China Sea, and urged China to abide by the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s claim over almost the entire South China Sea, including the WPS. Also claiming parts of the South China Sea are Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

Kirby said US President Joe Biden raised this concern when he talked with China’s President Xi Jinping early this month.

“We again urge the PRC to abide by the 2016 ruling, and to recognize, as we do, that the Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal), falls within the Philippine economic exclusive area and we will continue to make that point,” he said.

US SUPPORT

Kirby assured the Philippines of Biden’s support and the strong commitment of the US.

“For as long as President Biden is the president of the United States, the Philippines can count on him and his team’s full support from proving our bilateral relationship and for meeting our commitment, our treaty commitments to the Philippines,” Kirby said.

Biden is hosting a trilateral summit for President Marcos Jr and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. It is the first among three leaders.

Kirby said the developments in the WPS are expected to be discussed during the meeting among Biden, Marcos, and Kishida, but it would not be the main agenda.

Kirby said the trilateral meeting aims to discuss a wide range of areas where the three countries can deepen their partnerships not just in terms of security framework, but also in many aspects including trade, people-to-people exchanges and climate change, among others.

He said Marcos’ visit aims to enhance economic and security ties between the Philippines and the US, foster maritime cooperation, and deepen people-to-people relationship between the two countries.

SECRET DEAL PROBE

Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun called for a House inquiry into a supposed “gentleman’s agreement” between former president Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping, backing the President in denouncing the secret deal.

Konghun said there is a need for a congressional inquiry because of the “potential compromise of national territory and sovereignty.”

“The integrity of our nation’s sovereignty cannot be subjected to clandestine agreements that undermine the rights of the Filipino people,” said Konghun, whose district includes the coastal areas of the WPS.

Khonghun said the Filipino people “deserve to know the truth and hold accountable those responsible for any actions that may jeopardize our national interests.”

The President has publicly denounced the purported agreement, saying he was “horrified” that the Duterte administration may have forged a secret deal with China.

The alleged agreement is widely believed to have given China leverage to shift blame onto the Philippines amid escalating tension in the WPS.

Under the supposed agreement, the Philippines will not to bring construction materials to repair the Navy warship BRP Sierra Madre grounded at the Ayungin Shoal.

Khonghun said support for the President’s position “reflects a broader trend among legislators, highlighting the need for transparency and accountability in matters of national sovereignty and security.”

“It is imperative that we shed light on any agreements or arrangements that could potentially compromise our country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Khonghun said.

“The Filipino people are rightfully concerned about the implications of any agreements made in secrecy, particularly when it comes to our territorial sovereignty,” he also said. — With Jocelyn Montemayor and Wendell Vigilia

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