The United States, Japan, and the Philippines are initiating joint naval patrols in the South China Sea, a strategic move perceived as a response to China’s escalating aggression in the area.
The trilateral exercise is just one component of a broader “package of initiatives” that will be unveiled by the top leaders of the three countries during their inaugural summit on April 11, as reported by the U.S. news outlet Politico, which was the first to break the news of the plan.
While joint drills between the Philippines and the U.S. are commonplace, the involvement of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force in such activities will be a first, according to Japan’s Asahi Shimbun.
The exercises are planned to occur “at the earliest” opportunity. As unnamed Japanese government sources told Asahi, this decision was driven by “China’s increasing naval presence in the region.”
Although specifics of the joint plan are not yet available, Politico characterized it as “a display of power intended to demonstrate to Beijing that their aggressive behavior will not be tolerated.”
Recently, China’s coast guard has intensified its efforts to harass near certain disputed reefs in the South China Sea, resorting to the use of water cannons against Filipino vessels.
Beijing’s tactics will be a prominent topic of discussion at the upcoming summit between U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as the three nations forge a regional “security triangle.”
According to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a U.S. think tank, “On the South China Sea… the three allies are closely aligned.”
The report highlighted Japan’s advantageous position to serve as a connecting link among Indo-Pacific nations.
According to CSIS, “Japan sees the East and South China Seas as interconnected theatres.”
The report further added that Tokyo perceives assisting Southeast Asian nations in addressing China’s activities in the South China Sea as integral to countering Chinese assertiveness across the region, including in the East China Sea, where China’s actions directly challenge Japanese interests.
Earlier this year, Radio Free Asia reported that the Japan International Cooperation Agency is in the process of developing a 10-year maritime security support plan for four ASEAN nations: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
The objective of this initiative is to enhance security in the South China Sea region.
China has reacted with strong opposition to the proposed joint patrols.
The Global Times newspaper labeled the initiative as the “latest case of U.S. intention to deplete allies and weaken China,” accusing Washington of enlisting Japan to escalate tensions in the region and undermine China’s surrounding security.
The article quoted a Chinese analyst cautioning U.S. allies and partners, such as Japan and the Philippines, that they are being manipulated by the U.S. for its own gains.
Ray Powell, a maritime security analyst at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, Stanford University, commented, “Beijing’s narrative attributes escalating situations to its opponents’ provocations, absolving itself of responsibility for any of its aggressive actions.”
As per the Ministry of National Defense, the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese military, with its focus on the South China Sea, recently carried out a genuine combat training exercise in the region.
The exercise, conducted during unspecified dates “in early spring,” targeted adversaries like “armed fishing boats causing disturbances in Chinese sea territories” and vessels belonging to the Philippine Coast Guard, as indicated by Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of the Global Times.
Hu shared a video clip of the training exercise on the social media platform X, accompanied by a strong warning to Manila.
He stated, “Once the Philippines fires the first shot, I fully support China’s PLA (People’s Liberation Army) in making the Philippine ship riddled with bullets.”
The Chinese political commentator further commented, “I believe most Chinese people will support it by then.”
“China’s strategy is to escalate until its adversaries give up, so beating the war drums is intended to cause them to back off,” explained Powell from Stanford University to RFA.
The analyst noted that Manila’s current assertive transparency campaign involves reaching out and forming partnerships with more like-minded nations, despite threats from Beijing.
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