MANILA: The United States, Australia, Japan and the Philippines will hold joint naval and air operations in the disputed South China Sea on Sunday, their defence chiefs said in a statement, as they seek to counter China’s growing assertiveness in the region.
“Demonstrating our collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific, our combined defense/armed forces will conduct a Maritime Cooperative Activity within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone on April 7, 2024,” they said in a joint statement.
The exercise will be held in the disputed South China Sea — which Beijing claims almost entirely — days before US President Joe Biden is due to hold the first trilateral summit with the leaders of the Philippines and Japan.
Earlier this week, the Australian warship HMAS Warramunga arrived at the Philippine island province of Palawan, which faces the hotly contested waters.
Regional tensions have escalated in the past year as China has become increasingly confident in asserting its claims over waters also claimed by the Philippines and Japan, as well as over self-ruled Taiwan.
In response, the United States has sought to strengthen its alliances in the region, including with treaty allies Japan and the Philippines.