Philippines and Australia conduct joint air and maritime patrols in South China Sea

Asia-Pacific, News November 26, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

The Philippines and Australia started their first joint sea and air patrols in the South China Sea on November 25, 2023. The joint patrol comes only days after Manila participated in a similar military activity with the U.S. in the Asia-Pacific region.

The three-day-long exercise was announced by the Philippines’ President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on social media. Marcos said that the joint patrols were part of the Maritime Cooperative Activity the two-armed forces. He said that such joint activities underscore their commitment to the rules-based order.

“We endeavor to enhance bilateral interoperability in maritime security and domain awareness; test doctrines, and existing protocols, and enhance efficiency; and foster closer cooperation between our countries’ armed forces,” he said in a statement.

“This inaugural Maritime Cooperative Activity and those that may follow are a practical manifestation of the growing and deepening strategic and defense partnership between our countries,” he added.

“Australia and the Philippines are firmly committed to the peaceful, secure, and prosperous region, where sovereignty and agreed rules and norms are respected,” Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said in a joint statement posted by Marcos. “The first joint patrol between the Australian Defense Force and the Armed Forces of the Philippines demonstrates this commitment,” Marles said.

US and Australian Navy Ships — ^{Royal Australian Navy guided-missile frigate HMAS Parramatta (FFH 154) (L) sails with U.S. Navy Amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) and Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG 52) in the South China Sea on April 18, 2020. (Image Credit: U.S. Navy/Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas Huynh)}

According to the spokesperson of the Philippine Department of National Defense Arsenio Andolong, the joint patrols were carried out in the West Philippine Sea using Manila’s term for waters in the South China Sea that fall within its exclusive economic zone.

The Philippine military said two of its naval vessels and five surveillance aircraft would participate in the patrols, while Australia sent its Toowoomba frigate and P8-A maritime surveillance aircraft.

U.S.-Philippines maritime patrols

Earlier, the United States and the Philippines conducted a similar maritime and aerial patrol operation in the same area. The three-day-long maritime sea and air patrols started off in Mavulis island, the Philippines’ northernmost point, located about 100 kilometers off the coast of Taiwan, and ended in the Western Philippines Sea.

Three naval vessels from the Philippines Navy along with two FA-50 light combat aircraft and an A-29B Super Tucano light attack plane participated in the patrols while the United States sent one of its littoral combat ships and a P8-A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft.

US and Philippine Air Force fighter jets — *^{A Philippine Air Force FA-50PH jet fighter joins the maritime patrol of the Philippines and the U.S. on November 21, 2023. (Image Credit: Philippine Air Force/via AP)}*

China’s reaction

The Philippines military has increased its joint activities with the U.S. and its allies in the Asia-Pacific region as Manila’s ties with China sour under Marcos’s government. Repeated standoffs between Chinese and Filipino vessels in waters claimed by both countries have prompted heated exchanges of rhetoric and concerns of an escalation.

The recent patrols by the Philippines and Australian military are likely to irk China. Beijing has already expressed its concerns about the Philippines’ joint military activities with the U.S. and its allies.

“China believes that defense and security cooperation between countries needs to be conducive to regional peace and stability. They should not escalate tensions or undermine trust between countries, still less target any third party,” China’s Washington embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said following Philippines’ joint air and naval patrols with the U.S. forces last week.