PH wants to hold naval patrols in South China Sea with US

Pag-asa Island, part of the disputed Spratly group of islands, in the South China Sea located off the coast of western Philippines. AP FILE PHOTO

The Philippines wants to hold naval patrols in the South China Sea with the United States, the Department of National Defense said on Thursday.

“In addition to freedom of navigation operations of the US, we are suggesting that we also patrol the area together,” defense spokesperson Dr. Peter Paul Galvez said.

He suggested that “there is a need for a more collaborative presence in the South China Sea.”

Foreign and defense officials from the United States and the Philippines met in Washington early this week with South China Sea high on the agenda.

In the same meeting, the US said it would not allow China to control the disputed waterway, believed to be rich in oil and gas.

The proposal comes after the Supreme Court declared the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement as constitutional. This will allow an increased presence of US troops in the Philippines.

China claims most parts of the South China Sea, where they have massively expanded through building artificial islands, sparking tensions among its neighbors including the Philippines. RC

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