THE Philippines and the United States will open their biggest joint military exercise on Monday (April 12) amid heightened tension in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), one of key discussion points between Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III on Sunday.
In a telephone conference, Lorenzana and Austin discussed the situation in the West Philippine Sea, according to Department of National Defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong. Over 200 Chinese ships were seen massing in early March at the Julian Felipe Reef, and while dozens of boats left the reef, they were seen redeployed to other parts of the WPS.
The Chinese militia vessels at the reef have become a source of diplomatic and security discord for Manila and Beijing, with Lorenzana engaged in a word war with the Chinese Embassy and its spokesman in the Philippines.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has fired off two protests and said it will keep sending these while the boats remain.
Lorenzana and Austin also discussed security in the region as a whole and looked forward to the conduct of the US-Philippine military exercise, which begins Monday after it was cancelled last year.
“Secretary Austin reiterated the importance of the VFA [Visiting Forces Agreement] and hopes that it would be continued. Secretary Lorenzana committed to discuss the matter with the President as the final approval lies with him,” Andolong said, referring to the military agreement that expires in August 2021 unless renewed.
Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Cirilito Sobejana said 1,000 Filipino and 700 American soldiers will take part in the two-week exercise, which opens at Camp Aguinaldo and includes virtual and manual trainings, featuring different scenarios.
Mutual Defense Board
The biggest joint military training takes place as both countries are to meet under the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board where vital defense and security issues and activities are on agenda.
Sobejana said at least 28 Chinese ships—including Coast Guard and maritime militia—remained in the WPS as of Saturday evening, although the number does not include those that may still be moored at the Julian Felipe Reef.
Over the weekend, Lorenzana said, however, that at least 32 Chinese militia vessels remained berthed at the reef, down from the 38 in recent days.
Late last week, two Chinese gunboats chased a civilian boat bearing an ABS-CBN news team enroute to Ayungin Shoal to document Filipino fishermen in the area.
Sobejana said the military is maintaining its physical presence in the WPS through two Philippine Navy vessels and those from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
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