Philippines-US Allies MARITIME Patrol in West Philippines Sea

Описание: CHINA PANIC AND SCHOCK - The Philippines, The United States, Australia, Japan, and other 6 Allied Countries will conduct JOINT Patrol in the West Philippines Sea to Counter Chinese Aggression

MORE countries are offering to conduct joint patrols with the Philippines in the South China Sea. At least six countries are interested in having their navies carry out joint patrols with the Philippines in the tension-shrouded disputed Sea.
Speaking at the sidelines of the Mutual Defense Board meeting, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said several nations are keen on the idea of jointly patrolling the waters in the West Philippine Sea, where Chinese vessels have stepped up the harassment of Philippine Coast Guard ships on legitimate missions.
The United States, Japan, and Australia have already been pushing for joint sail missions with the Philippines in the disputed waterway. Last week, the spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines said Malaysia, France, India, Canada, Germany, and Singapore were also keen on the idea.
The United States, Japan and Australia have earlier discussed the concept with Philippine defense authorities following the escalation of Chinese intrusions. But Brawner said Germany, Canada, and France are also open to joint patrols. Joint patrols are definitely the Philippine Government's plan and right now they are in the process of working with the other countries. The US, Japanese, and Australian warships have been sailing into the South China Sea in freedom of navigation missions, defying warnings by Beijing that they are encroaching on Chinese territory.
The development is a very good indication of the intent of like-minded countries to come together to promote the rules-based international order and to make sure that security in the Indo-Pacific region is maintained at all times, Brawner told reporters at a joint press conference with Admiral John Aquilino of the US Indo-Pacific Command.
The prospect of holding a joint patrol was thrust into the limelight following the escalation of intrusions by the Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels in the West Philippine Sea. In recent weeks the Ayungin Shoal has been the target of Chinese efforts to stake its claim on territory to which the Philippines has sovereign rights.
Chinese ships have been blockading the entrance to the shoal to ward off attempts to deliver supplies to the military outpost at the atoll. Resupply boats have been playing a deadly cat-and-mouse game with Chinese vessels to preserve the lifeline for the Philippine troops stationed at Ayungin.
The harassment by Chinese vessels, which includes firing a water cannon at a Philippine boat, has been documented on video as evidence of the brazen disregard for Philippine sovereignty.
Beijing has been unmoved by the close to a hundred diplomatic protests filed by Manila and continues to build up its flotilla of military and fishing vessels in the West Philippine Sea. Military experts agree that jointly patrolling the tension-roiled waters could be an effective deterrent against Chinese intimidation and harassment.
In April 2016, the US Navy revealed it was conducting joint patrols with the Philippines in the South China Sea. The US defense secretary at the time, Ash Carter, explained that the patrols contribute to the safety and security of the region's waters. Carter also said the US would increase the rotations of its forces and military aid in the Philippines.
The joint patrols were conducted at a time when China was expanding its military presence in the region by fortifying islets and atolls that it was claiming as its own. The joint patrols were called off after then-President Rodrigo Duterte shifted the country's foreign policy away from the US and aligned it toward China.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has since pivoted back to the US, and Washington has wasted no time rebuilding the frayed security and defense cooperation with Manila. Last May, Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez said the Philippines was continuing discussions for joint patrols in the South China Sea with the US and Australia, probably by the third quarter of 2023.
AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the interest of other countries in conducting naval patrols was a sign of growing support for a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region. The Philippines Defense Secretary emphasized the importance of alliances amid the changing threat situation in the West Philippine Sea.
Amid the burst of optimism over the show of support for joint patrols, AFP Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos presents the sobering reality of reviewing the proposals and the daunting task of getting everyone on the same page.

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