The Philippine government is in the process of creating guidelines for joint maritime activities in the West Philippine Sea. The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has announced that talks are ongoing to determine the operational details of these activities, including the potential involvement of other regional partners.
The PH government’s aim is to strengthen its maritime presence in the region and maintain freedom of navigation in the disputed waters. Joint patrols with other countries are being considered as part of this effort.
Although it remains unclear which countries have expressed interest in these joint patrol talks, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez previously mentioned that Japan and Australia may participate in the proposed joint patrols in the South China Sea between Manila and Washington.
The Japanese embassy in Manila clarified that there are no official discussions yet with the Philippines, US, and Australia on joint maritime patrols. However, they stated that the Japanese government is ready to cooperate with partners to promote maritime law enforcement in the Indo-Pacific region.
Australia-Philippines joint patrol
Meanwhile, Australia’s Defense Minister Richard Marles recently announced that his country is in talks with the Philippines to explore the possibility of conducting joint patrols in the disputed South China Sea. This comes after the Chinese Coast Guard carried out “aggressive activities” towards a Philippine vessel, prompting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to summon Beijing’s envoy in Manila.
The joint patrols are part of efforts to promote freedom of navigation in the disputed waters and deter any further aggressive actions by China.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard’s spokesperson on South China Sea issues, Jay Tarriela, talks with the United States regarding joint patrols in the South China Sea have progressed beyond the initial stages, and the likelihood of carrying out joint patrols is high.
Tarriela did not provide any further information regarding the scale or timing of the proposed joint patrols in the South China Sea. This announcement follows the agreement between the United States and the Philippines to restart joint maritime patrols in the region.
Some experts have suggested that deploying coastguard personnel instead of naval forces could mitigate any miscalculations and prevent China from finding an excuse to escalate tensions in the disputed waters, as noted by former vice commander of the Philippine Navy, Rommel Jude Ong.
Earlier this month, the Philippine government accused China’s coastguard of using a “military-grade laser” against one of its coastguard vessels that was involved in a resupply mission for troops stationed on an atoll in the South China Sea.
This incident caused concern among other countries, including Japan, Australia, and the US. However, China refuted the Philippine account and claimed that its coastguard acted in a “professional and restrained” manner towards the Philippine ship. In response to these tensions, the Philippine Coast Guard has taken steps to increase its presence in the contested waters, including flying an aircraft over the South China Sea to protect its maritime territory. The organization has also ordered suspected Chinese militia to leave the area, according to a statement. These actions reflect the ongoing tensions in the region, as countries continue to assert their claims over the disputed waters.
