(Manila Comprehensive) The United States, Australia, Japan, and the Philippines will be held on Sunday (April 7) in the South China Sea.This is the first time that the Southern China seawater is in the southern China seawater in the seawater of the Simagon, which is obviously aimed at China's sovereignty in related waters.
The time of the exercise is also remarkable, because a few days later, the next Thursday (11th), the US President Biden will hold a third -sided summit for the first time with the Philippine and Japan leaders.
The National Defense Minister of the Four countries of the United States, Australia, Japan, and the Philippines issued a joint statement on Saturday (6th) that the maritime exercise this day will be held in the Philippines exclusive economic zone to display the allies to strengthen the region and international cooperation to ensure the freedom of the Indo -Pacific region.Open collective commitment.
Statement said that the navy and the Air Force of the four countries will participate in the exercise to consolidate the interconnection of countries in terms of ideas, strategies, technology, and procedures.
U.S. Defense Secretary Austin said: "These activities carried out by our allies in Australia, Japan and the Philippines emphasized our common commitments to ensure that all countries can fly, navigate and operate freely within the scope allowed by international law.Joint action to support peace and stability, this is the core of we hope that the common vision of the Indo -Pacific region will be free to open up. "
Japan's defense ministers Muhara Kan also issued another statement saying: "Japan opposes any attempts to change the status quo in unilaterally, and any actions that will exacerbate the tension of the South China Sea."
The report from Kyodo Japan said that the three countries of the United States, Australia and Japan were interested in showing unity with the Philippines. Therefore, this joint exercise was positioned as the first "maritime cooperation operation" of the four countries.
All parties have not announced the specific content of the exercise.However, the Japanese Embassy in Manila revealed in a statement that the exercise will include "anti -submarine combat training".
The Philippine government sources revealed that the joint exercise will be held near Palawan, Philippines.Balawwa is facing the sovereign dispute between the Philippines and China.
A spokesman for the Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that the defense cooperation negotiation between the Philippines and Japan is still continuing to reach an agreement for the two parties to deploy the army on each other's territory.The Philippines has reached such agreements with Australia and the United States.
The Philippine President President President Paradoni resigned on Facebook last week with tough measures, saying that he would never yield to China. He also said that he would implement the "illegal, compulsory, aggressiveness of the China Sea of the South China Sea on the China Coast Guards and the maritime militia.Implement countermeasures with dangerous attacks.
The Philippines once again accused the Chinese sea police boat harassing fishing boats
The Philippines and China have continuously frictions on the sovereignty of the South China Sea, and the Philippines refers to the "harassing" Philippine fishing vessels in the South China Sea on Saturday.
A spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard, Tarira, said that two Chinese Maritime Police Ship equipped with high -pressure water guns on Thursday in the Iroquois Reef (China Reef) in the Philippines exclusive economic zone threatened the PhilippinesFishermen.
Beijing said that Chinese ships responded appropriately to "illegal activities".A Chinese maritime police spokesman issued a statement saying that the actions of Chinese ships were "professional and complied with standards", and said that the Philippine fishing vessels were government ships under the guise of "fishing", the purpose was to destroy the stability of the South China Sea.
The ships of China and the Philippines have recently confronted the South China Sea many times.Among them, the Philippines stated on March 23 that the Chinese Maritime Police and Maritime Militarian soldiers harassed and blocked the Filipino's routine rotation and supply tasks on this islands and reefs in the Ayunjin Reef (known as Renai Reef).
