Australia's largest warship joins drills with US, Philippines in South China Sea

The Australian amphibious assault ship HMAS Canberra is one of several ships taking part in Exercise Alon in the Philippines, which runs from August 14 to 31. More than 2,000 troops from Australia and the Philippines, along with about 150 US Marines, are taking part. Today’s exercise in the South China Sea is a simulated air assault south of the Philippine island of Palawan.

Australian amphibious assault ship HMAS Canberra off the Philippine island of Palawan during an exercise on August 21.

"Like the Philippines, Australia wants a peaceful , stable and prosperous region that respects sovereignty and is guided by a rules-based order," said Australian Ambassador to Manila Hae Kyong Yu. Ms Yu added that such exercises were "important" because "through these exercises, we are putting our words into action."

Soldiers participate in combat training aboard the HMAS Canberra off Palawan Island on August 21.

The US, Japan and Australia will also hold joint exercises off the coast of the Philippines this week, according to AFP. "That was always the plan," Captain Phillipa Hay, commander of the Australian Amphibious Task Force, told reporters on board the HMAS Canberra.

In another development, Taiwan today accused China of "arbitrarily disrupting trade" after Beijing imposed an import ban on Taiwanese mangoes, according to AFP.

Beijing said the ban came into effect today, after it announced it had found pests in mangoes imported from Taiwan.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's Ministry of Agriculture said the ban violated international rules and called on Beijing to find a "reasonable solution" through dialogue.

"We deeply regret China's repeated behavior of arbitrarily disrupting trade without scientific dialogue, which is inconsistent with international practice," Taiwan's Agriculture Ministry stressed in a statement.

China has imposed import bans on many Taiwanese agricultural products in recent years.

The new import ban came after Beijing conducted military exercises around Taiwan on August 19, a day after Taiwan's vice president Lai Ching-te returned from a visit to Paraguay with two stops in the United States.

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