The militaries of the Philippines and the United States launched joint patrols on Tuesday in waters near Taiwan, officials of the Southeast Asian nation said, a move likely to fan further tension with China.

The militaries of the Philippines and the United States launched joint patrols on Tuesday in waters near Taiwan, officials of the Southeast Asian nation said, a move likely to fan further tension with China.

Security engagements between the treaty allies have soared this year, including a decision to almost double the number of Philippine bases the American military can access, some facing Taiwan, and their largest-ever joint military drill in April.

This week’s three-day joint air and maritime exercise was a “significant initiative” to boost interoperability between the two, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said.

“I am confident this … will contribute to a more secure and stable environment for our people,” he said on social media platform X.

The drill would start off in Mavulis island, the Philippines’ northernmost point, located about 100 km (62 miles) off Taiwan, said Eugene Cabusao, spokesperson for the Northern Luzon command.

It will end in the West Philippine Sea, the name Manila uses for waters in the South China Sea that fall within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

  • AutoTL;DRBEnglish
    1•11 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    MANILA, Nov 21 (Reuters) - The militaries of the Philippines and the United States launched joint patrols on Tuesday in waters near Taiwan, officials of the Southeast Asian nation said, a move likely to fan further tension with China.

    This week’s three-day joint air and maritime exercise was a “significant initiative” to boost interoperability between the two, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said.

    The drill would start off in Mavulis island, the Philippines’ northernmost point, located about 100 km (62 miles) off Taiwan, said Eugene Cabusao, spokesperson for the Northern Luzon command.

    The news comes a day after Marcos told a forum in Hawaii the situation in the South China Sea had become more “dire”, with the Chinese military inching closer to the Philippine coastline.

    Ties with China have soured under Marcos, with repeated standoffs between Chinese and Filipino vessels in waters claimed by both countries, prompting heated exchanges of rhetoric and concerns of an escalation.

    Marcos recently met Chinese President Xi Jinping in a bid to reduce the tension.

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