Philippine, US, French navies to sail in West PH Sea for Balikatan

INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines, United States, and France will conduct sail in the West Philippine Sea next month in a move that is expected to irritate China.

The trilateral naval drills will be conducted as part of the 2024’s Balikatan exercise, according to Col. Michael Logico, the exercise’s executive agent.

“This is also a new thing,” Logico said of the trilateral naval drills distance during the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) regular press conference in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

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Logico explained the AFP conducts group sails during Balikatan but only inside the 12 nautical mile territorial waters of the country.

“Now we are venturing outwards,” he said.

Logico said at least four AFP ships and one from the French Navy will join the sail,  while the total number of participating US Navy ships has yet to be determined.

The Philippines has a visiting forces agreement with the US, which is the basis of such activities.

The visiting forces agreement with France is still in the works, but Logico said Paris could nevertheless join such drills since it will be conducted outside the territorial waters.

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He also shrugged off China’s expected objections during the drills.

“We are not deterred by how other countries think about what we are doing,” Logico said. “You cannot defend the country worried about what other people are thinking.”

China asserts ownership in almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the West Philippine Sea, despite a 2016 international tribunal ruling effectively dismissing its claims.

The Philippines’ maritime activities in the Ayungin Shoal and Scarborough Shoal are also being thwarted regularly by China Coast Guard (CCG), sometimes even resorting to “dangerous maneuvers” and usage of water cannon and military-grade lasers against Filipino vessels.

The presence of Beijing’s vessels are also seen regularly during Manila’s joint sails with other countries like the US and Australia. But so far, the CCG and Chinese Navy remain at a safe distance from Filipino and American warships during these activities.