The United States, Australia, Japan and the Philippines held a joint naval and air exercise in the South China Sea on April 7. This is the first time the four countries have conducted joint military exercises in the waters of the South China Sea.
According to Philippine government sources, the joint exercise was held near the Philippine island of Palawan. Palawan faces the Spratly Islands, where the sovereignty dispute between the Philippines and China is fierce.
The Japanese Embassy in Manila revealed in a statement that the exercises will include “anti-submarine warfare training.”
U.S. Defense Secretary Austin said: “These activities we are conducting with our allies Australia, Japan and the Philippines underscore our shared commitment to ensuring that all nations can fly, navigate and operate freely within the limits of international law. Our joint actions Supporting peace and stability is at the heart of our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Japan, the United States and the Philippines will hold their first trilateral summit in the U.S. capital on April 11, and the South China Sea issue will also be put on the agenda.
In response to the recent negative remarks made by the Philippines on the South China Sea issue, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on April 1 that the Philippines has repeatedly made unreasonable accusations against China, which is nothing more than to cover up the fact that it has reneged on its commitments, violated and provoked on the South China Sea issue. The Philippines should immediately stop its infringing and provocative actions. China is unwavering in its determination to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
Colonel Wu Qian, director of the Information Bureau of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense and spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense, said at a regular press conference on March 28 that on the issue of the South China Sea between China and the Philippines, China will firmly defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and will not let the Philippines do so. mess. The Philippines should realize that provoking troubles is not worth the gain, and relying on outsiders is simply unreliable.
