ARMED Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr yesterday said the “Balikatan” exercise between the Philippines and the United States is not a “partnership of convenience” but a commitment to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.
Brawner’s statement, made during the opening of this year’s Balikatan exercise at Camp Aguinaldo, came a week after the Chinese foreign ministry criticized the conduct of the annual huge-scale exercise.
On Wednesday last week, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told the Philippines that “tensions could get worse and the region will only become less stable” when countries outside the region are brought into the South China Sea.
Lin urged the Philippines “to stop making maritime provocations.” He also urged “relevant countries outside the region to stop stoking confrontation in the South China Sea.”
As part of the 39th Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) , Philippine, US and French ships will hold a group sail in the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea from April 25 to May 4.
Around 16,000 American and Filipino troops are taking part in the exercise that will last until May 10. Hundreds of Australian and French troops are also actively taking part in the exercise, on the invitation of US and Philippines.
Fourteen other countries are participating as observers.
“This exercise represents the essence of unity, collective responsibility and enduring partnership between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America and our partners,” said Brawner.
“It is not a partnership of convenience but rather a clear reflection of our shared history, unwavering commitment to democracy and respect for international law in our pursuit of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Brawner.
Balikatan is one of the many annual exercises held by US and Philippine troops under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty. The exercise is meant to improve interoperability of both forces in responding to external threats and other challenges.
Brawner said Philippines and the US are coastal states and “share a vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean.”
“We understand the importance of maritime cooperation in addressing the complex challenges that threaten peace and security in our region. Together, alongside our like-minded partners, we are fully committed to upholding a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Marvin Licudine, Balikatan exercise director on the Philippine side, said the complexity of this year’s exercise is higher than last year’s Balikatan.
“The difference between last year’s Balikatan and now’s Balikatan is actually increasing the complexity of the exercise,” Licudine told a press briefing after the opening ceremony.
This is the first time that maritime exercises, under Balikatan, will be held outside the country’s 12-nautical mile territorial waters. These activities, however, are still within the country’s 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone.
Asked what message they want to convey to potential aggressors, Licudine said, “Yes, it’s the first time that we are going beyond (territorial waters) but it’s not really addressed to any aggressor.”
Licudine stressed that Balikatan is meant to enhance interoperability to protect international law and “make sure that freedom of navigation in these areas goes freely and not impeded by any other parties in the process.”
MARITIME STRIKE
Apart from the group sail, Balikatan participants will be engaged in a maritime strike off Laoag City in Ilocos Norte on May 8. Naval, air and ground assets will be featured in sinking a decommissioned Philippine Navy ship, BRP Lake Caliraya, during the drill.
Licudine said US and Filipino troops will also be engaged in an “island-taking” exercise in Batanes.
“The island-taking exercise will take place in the areas of northern Luzon, particularly in the Batanes Group of Islands… The island taking exercise is just an exercise on special forces operations,” he said.
Licudine said the exercise is not related to the tension in the Taiwan Strait between China and Taiwan.
Lt. Col. Brian Block, Balikatan spokesman on the US side, said, “We are training to seize an objective, that is an island, and then reinforce that objective.”
Under the exercise, Block said, troops will be inserted into Itbayat Island initially to scout or survey. He said more troops will be inserted later to seize and defend the island.
Asked if they are expecting China to disrupt the exercise, Block said: “I am not in a position to speak for China.”
On whether they are prepared for possible Chinese disruptions, Block said, “We’re not getting into details.”
He stressed the focus of the exercise is improve the capabilities of both forces.
Licudine, on the reported presence of Chinese maritime militia vessels near mainland Palawan last Sunday, said he could not confirm but said Chinese maritime militia vessels have been always present in the South China Sea even before the escalation of tension in the area.
DIALOGUE
China remains committed to resolving maritime disputes with other countries through dialogue but will not allow itself to be “abused,” a top military official said at a meeting of senior foreign naval officials in the port city of Qingdao, China on Monday.
The sea should not be an arena where countries can flex their “gunboat muscles,” added Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission and China’s second-highest-ranking military official.
“Reality has shown that those who make deliberate provocations, stoke tensions, or support one side against another for selfish gains will ultimately only hurt themselves,” Zhang said during the opening ceremony of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium at the upscale St Regis hotel.
The event overlaps with the Balikatan exercise.
The comments were an apparent reference to growing tensions in the South China Sea, where Washington treaty ally Manila is in a fraught standoff with Beijing over the strategic waterway, a potential flashpoint for US-China relations.
Zhang also told the gathered delegates that “carrying out maritime containment, encirclement and island blockades will only plunge the world into a vortex of division and turbulence.”
The symposium is a rare opportunity for countries with opposing regional interests to exchange views. Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Stephen Koehler is attending from the United States. Other delegations include Australia, France, India, Russia and Britain.
The Philippines did not attend despite being a member nation of the forum.
“This is a very good opportunity to hold bilateral talks with each navy – not only on AUKUS, but on broader maritime topics,” said Captain Takuo Kobayashi, a senior official with the Japanese naval delegation. “The Chinese Navy are building up their muscles in the South China Sea quickly, so I’m paying a lot of attention to the Chinese Navy’s developments.”
Participants will hold closed-door talks on topics such as updating the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea, a set of guidelines meant to de-escalate tensions between militaries at sea.
They will also vote on the creation of a new working group on unmanned systems with the People’s Liberation Army Navy as the coordinator, according to the forum agenda.
‘INFLUX’
Amid controversy generated by the influx of Chinese students in Cagayan province, the Bureau of Immigration yesterday said the majority of Chinese students in the country are actually in Metro Manila, and not in the province.
Immigration spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval said over 9,000 Chinese nationals were issued student visas in different schools in Metro Manila, allowing them a longer stay in the country compared to a tourist visa.
On Friday, the agency said 1,516 Chinese nationals were issued student visas in Cagayan in 2023 but only 400 of them are on-site since the school they are enrolled in is implementing distance learning mode.
Student visas are renewed yearly, but Sandoval said the government has the power not to authorize its renewal if the students have failing grades or other violation in their stay in the country.
She also said the agency has done everything on the “regulatory side” to ensure that all foreign students, including Chinese nationals, have complete documentation before they are issued student visas.
Sandoval also said the Inter-Agency Committee on Foreign Students is set to meet “either today or tomorrow” to discuss the reported influx of Chinese students in Cagayan. The panel is composed of the BI, PNP, Department of Foreign Affairs, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and the NBI. — With Ashzel Hachero and Reuters
