PH, US, Japan Hold Joint Maritime Drills Near Bajo de Masinloc

A United States carrier strike group joined naval and air assets from the Philippines and Japan in a multilateral maritime cooperative activity (MMCA) held near Bajo de Masinloc in late July, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Tuesday. During a press briefing, AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the 17th MMCA was conducted from July 21 to 25 in the waters west of Zambales. The Philippine contingent included one Navy warship, aircraft from the Philippine Air Force and Philippine Navy, and two Philippine Coast Guard vessels. The US deployed a carrier strike group and two US Coast Guard cutters, while Japan sent one warship. Trinidad said a carrier strike group generally consists of an aircraft carrier, a cruiser, three or four destroyers, and accompanying aircraft and submarine support. He added that the participating US formation was reported to be the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, although ships attached to such a formation may vary depending on operational requirements. The AFP said the exercises likely included cross-deck landings, replenishment at sea, communications drills, anti-submarine warfare, and other interoperability activities between the participating forces. According to Trinidad, the MMCA was conducted entirely within Philippine waters and moved dynamically within the country's exclusive economic zone. Although Chinese military, coast guard, and maritime militia vessels were monitored over the horizon, they did not interfere with the activity, according to the AFP official. "The message to the entire world, not to any particular country, is that the Philippines is not alone in its stand of supporting international law," Trinidad said. The AFP also confirmed that it monitored Chinese naval drills near Bajo de Masinloc on July 31 and August 1 involving five PLA Navy warships, one replenishment ship, two hovercraft, two helicopters, and an unspecified number of fighter aircraft. Bajo de Masinloc is located 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales, and is considered within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s claim. The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis." China has refused to recognize the decision. —VAL, GMA News