ASEAN, Partner Nations Conduct Joint Maritime Drills in West Philippine Sea; China Absent

Eleven warships from Association of Southeast Asian nations member states and other partner nations sailed the waters of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Wednesday as part of this year’s ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) Experts’ Working Group on Maritime Security (EWG-MS). The Philippine Navy’s BRP Jose Rizal led the maritime activity off the coast of Zambales where the international event aimed at sustaining and strengthening regional security cooperation is being held. Among the ASEAN warships that participated were the BRP Tarlac also from the Philippine Navy and one military vessel each for from Singapore and Brunei. For the PLUS countries, India and New Zealand had two warships while Australia, the United States, and Japan sent one military vessel each. The participating warships showcased various drill formations in the WPS, an activity that China did not participate in despite also being a PLUS-member state. Reports said when a Chinese warship appeared from a distance apparently to monitor as the ASEAN-PLUS military vessels were sailing towards the exercise area near Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc within the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Philippine Navy communicated with it through radio, welcoming and inviting it to join but received no response. Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. led the official opening of the ADMM-Plus EWG-MS with a Joint Cooperative Activity (JCA) and Future Leaders’ Program (FLP) last Monday in Olongapo City, Zambales. Co-hosted by the Philippines and Japan, the activity will feature a series of harbor and sea phase activities involving personnel, naval assets, ships and aircraft from eight ADMM-Plus countries from Sept. 20 to 26 with observers from fellow ASEAN member states and dialogue partners. “We hope that this exercise will be foundational in two things: number one, learning the procedures or getting familiar with the procedures and working together and cooperation; and secondly, develop, at an early stage, networking, trust and cooperation amongst all the participants and your respective defense establishments and navies,” Teodoro said. “Our collaboration and cooperation not merely in response but in early prepositioning, working together and in detection becomes more critical,” he stressed, adding that an important avenue for effective and efficient response are free open sea lanes of communication. The Philippine Navy earlier announced that as co-chairs of the EWG on MS for the 2024–2027 cycle, the Philippines and Japan will lead the two engagements which will bring together participating navies from ASEAN Member States and Plus partner countries to advance practical cooperation and strengthen maritime security collaboration. “The JCA will be conducted in two phases: the Harbor/Shore Phase and the At-Sea Phase. It will feature cooperative activities designed to strengthen practical maritime security cooperation and confidence-building among participating navies,” it said.