The Philippine armed forces commenced a two week series of combat exercises on Monday, encompassing stimulated operations to secure an island within the contested waters of the South China Sea- an undertaking likely to draw disapproval from China. The maneuvers will engage over 3000 personnels all across the Army, Navy & Air Force,to which Philippine military officials reasserted that the drills do not target any specific nation.
China has swiftly augmented it’s military prowess, adopting an increasingly assertive stance in pursuing territorial claims in the South China Sea – a region marked by protracted territorial frictions. The Chinese assertiveness has been marked by intensified confrontational incidents predominantly with the Phillipines and Vietnam, though the ensuing maritime conflicts also involve countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and importantly Taiwan. In the preceding month, Indonesia reported that its naval patrol vessels repelled a Chinese Coast Guard Ship that disrupted a survey which was being undertaken by a state owned energy entity in some part of the disputed South China Sea.
“Today our mandate is unequivocally defined to meticulously prepare ourselves to counteract any external threats that might endanger our sovereignty and territorial integrity”, remarked General Romeo Brawner Jr. Chief of the Armed Forces of Phillipines, during the inaugural proceedings of the exercises .
The planned maneuvers will involve live fire exercises involving artillery and assault weaponry alongside amphibious landing operations. Wihitn the contested South China Sea region the Filipino forces would simulate taking control of an island , Col. Michael Logico of the Filipino army told reporters without elaborating. When enquired about potential Chinese responses, he anticipated that the Chinese forces would likely engage in distant surveillance of the developments . He projected however that they would likely refrain from any overtly hostile engagements.“Essentially they have a front row seat to witness our exercise, they’ll monitor, and we have no objections”, Logico conveyed. It is important to note that China has traditionally voiced strong opposition to military drills conducted in the South China Sea, specifically those involving American or Allied forces.
The outgoing Biden administration has strategically intensified its efforts to fortify a network of military alliances across the Indo-Pacific, aimed at reinforcing deterrence measures against China, including in any potential confrontation with Taiwan. The reinforcement of American regional defense frameworks aligns with Philippine initiatives to enhance its own territorial defenses amid a protracted and simmering conflict with China over the South China Sea.
In the following year, the US and Philippines forces are set to conduct their largest annual combat drills titled ‘Balikatan’, the Tagalog term for ‘Shoulder to Shoulder’- that are also expected to feature tactical maneuvers within disputed zones of the South China Sea.
