The Philippines and Australia plan to conduct joint maritime patrols in the South China Sea, disputed waters that are increasingly becoming a potential flashpoint for a conflict between the US and China.
Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said Sunday that the plans have been approved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Australian government.
“We are still planning the details but in essence, (the joint patrol) has been approved by the President and the Australian leadership,” Brawner said, according to The Philippine Star. “This is to ensure that we maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific, especially a rules-based international order.”
Joint patrols could put Australian vessels into dangerous situations with the Chinese Coast Guard, as Manila and Beijing often have tense stand-offs near disputed reefs. In the most recent incident, Chinese vessels briefly blocked Philippine boats from resupplying a grounded ship on Second Thomas Shoal, which is part of the Spratly Islands.
Brawner’s comments came as the Philippines and Australia are conducting their first-ever joint amphibious military exercise, which included simulating retaking an island in the South China Sea. The drills, known as Exercise Alon, will conclude on August 31.
The US has been encouraging its allies in the region to increase military cooperation as part of its strategy to prepare for a future war with China. The US also strongly backs Manila’s claims in the South China Sea against Beijing and has affirmed that the US-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty covers attacks on Philippine vessels in the South China Sea.
These exercises are completely legitimate. Both Australia and the Philippines have an obligation to exert themselves in the South China Sea to keep their trade lanes open.
There has been no threat against trade, most of which is to and from China. Here’s a look at marine traffic in the area.
And who has threatened to close said lanes ? , until the Yanks began to poke their nose where it`s not wanted there wasn`t any problems that couldn`t be sorted with DEPLOMACY
More like keep the hostility flowing…!!!!! If China were to block trade lanes, it would most likely be because of hostile nations tying to stake claims of non-existent rights in China’s waters of one sort or another. I can not remember any attempts by China to block sea lanes. And completely legitimate is not always a good reason to exercise rights which have no purpose but to annoy vastly superior neighbors with the ability to turn any country into rubble. One has a perfect right to go into a tavern in the ghetto, and exclaim “What are all these N-word-ers and Specks doing here?” But whether or not it is a good idea one who tries it may find themselves wondering on a hospital bed, or from the other side of this vail of tears. Hoping a fallen badly behind past due date former hegemon to bail our every stupid dunce who blunders ligitimately into the fast lane is no sure winner either. Better to follow Rodney King’s suggestion “Can’t we all just get along” is far better. Siding with those who consider China an enemy and are planning to fight a war against her is not only brain dead and dangerous but potentially suicidal.
“We are still planning the details but in essence, (the joint patrol) has been approved by the President and the Australian leadership,” Brawner said, according to The Philippine Star. “This is to ensure that we maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific, especially a rules-based international order.”
Even picking up the official bullshit spewed by our own. Good lackeys.
The “rules-based international order” in a nutshell: If China grabs one of the many islands in the South or East China Sea, it is “disputed” and so the US Navy sails in its territorial waters, calling it freedom of navigation. If a US ally grabs an island, as Japan and Philippines have done, it belongs to them and is protected by a mutual defense pact with the US.
What hasn’t surfaced yet but look for it is Vietnam, which claims three times as many bases in the South China Sea as China has. Biden (like many US presidents) will visit Vietnam soon in an attempt to have the communist government that killed tens of thousands of young Americans become a full ally against China.
Biden has no chance it was the Chinese who helped the Vietnames to defeat the American AGGRESSORS , the Vietnames know who their friends are and it ain`t the yanks who killed a estimated 3 million of their country men .
The Vietnamese also defeated the Chinese AGGRESSORS (more than once, but I’m talking about the time frame after they defeated the American AGGRESSORS).
The South China Sea is far from US puppet Australia, with sprawling Indonesia in between. Straight-line distance from Darwin to Second Thomas Shoal is 3,000 km, over 1800 miles.
and from Manila. . .“the Philippine ship we’re going to [moored on Second Thomas Shoal] is within our exclusive economic zone (EEZ)” – so what?. . .An Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a sea zone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources. The country that controls the EEZ has rights to the fishing, whaling, etc., as well as the raw material resources.
Rules based international order lol and who`s rules based order`s are they ? , was there a meeting of the worlds leaders some 140 plus who all had a vote ? ,or was it the yanks saying these are the rules abide by them OR ELSE .
Not really wise for second and governments with second & third rate militaries to make trouble with China.