4 countries announce joint maritime exercises in the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone

The Philippine Department of Defence announced on April 6 that the militaries of the United States, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines will conduct a "Maritime Cooperation Operation" (MCA) to support a free and open Indo- Pacific region.

Máy bay V-22 Osprey của Thủy quân lục chiến Mỹ bay lượn phía trên tàu đổ bộ trực thăng HMAS Canberra của Australia trong cuộc tập trận chung giữa quân đội Australia và Philippines tại căn cứ hải quân ở thị trấn San Antonio, tỉnh Zambales, Philippines, ngày 25/8/2023. (Nguồn: AFP)

A U.S. Marine Corps V-22 Osprey fighter jet flies over the Australian helicopter carrier HMAS Canberra during a joint exercise between the Australian and Philippine militaries at a naval base in San Antonio, Zambales province, Philippines, on August 25, 2023. (Source: AFP)

The Philippine Department of Defense, citing a joint statement from the four parties, confirmed that the operation would be conducted within the Southeast Asian nation's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on April 7.

In a similar move, the Pentagon's website also posted a four-party joint statement.

Accordingly, “Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the United States protect the freedom of navigation and overflight, respecting maritime rights as stipulated by international law, as reflected in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).”

To demonstrate our shared commitment to enhancing international cooperation to support a free and open Indo- Pacific region, our defense/armed forces will conduct MCA within the Philippines' EEZ.”

The statement emphasized that the MCA “will be implemented by naval and air force units in a manner consistent with international law as well as domestic laws and regulations of the countries concerned, with an emphasis on maritime safety and the rights and interests of other countries.”

The activities of the four aforementioned countries “will also demonstrate the professional interactions of their naval and air forces.”

The objective of the MCA is to “strengthen the interoperability between the doctrines, tactics, techniques, and procedures of our defense/armed forces.”

The statement commits to “standing with all nations in defending the international order based on the rule of law, which is the foundation of a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region.”

The United States, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines also reaffirmed their position on the 2016 ruling of the International Arbitration Tribunal in the case of the Philippines against China regarding the South China Sea dispute, stating that it is a “final and legally binding ruling on the disputing parties.”

The MCA will take place a few days before the trilateral summit between the leaders of the United States, Japan, and the Philippines in Washington. At the meeting next week, participants will discuss recent incidents in the South China Sea.

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