Last week, the Pentagon revealed that US troops are deployed as part of a task force to support the Philippines in its dispute with China in the South China Sea, a deployment that is a significant provocation toward Beijing.
The US Task Force Ayungin is named after the Philippine name for Second Thomas Shoal, a disputed reef that’s often the site of tense encounters and collisions between Chinese and Philippines vessels.
The Philippine military grounded a rusted-out World War II-era ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, on Second Thomas Shoal in 1999 to assert its claim to the reef and uses it as a base of operations. The encounters between the Chinese and Philippine vessels usually happen when Philippine boats are attempting to resupply the grounded ship.
While US military leaders have said they support the idea of helping the Philippines with supplying the BRP Sierra Madre, which could put the US in a direct clash with China, Philippine security officials insisted the US troops in the task force have no “direct participation” in resupply missions.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin revealed the existence of the task force last week when he visited Palawan, a Philippine island province on the South China Sea. Austin wrote on X that he “met with some American service members deployed to US Task Force Ayungin.”
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Pete Nguyen told The Inquirer that the US troops deployed as part of the task force are “providing our Philippines allies with enhanced cooperation and interoperability for their maritime operations.”
“This support includes planning and training with [the] Philippines’ Western Command for systems provided through US security assistance, such as the unmanned surface vessels that Secretary Austin observed during his stop in Palawan,” Nguyen added.
The Philippines is expected to receive more drone boats (unmanned surface vessels) as part of a $500 million military aid package from the US Austin announced back in July. The $500 million was included in the $95 billion foreign military aid bill President Biden signed into law earlier this year.
The increasing US support for the Philippines and its involvement in the maritime dispute between Manila and Beijing has turned the area into a potential flashpoint for a war between the US and China. The US has made clear that the US-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty applies to attacks on Philippine vessels in the South China Sea.
Why not show a map of where the shoal is? It is by the Philippines, far from China.
Why not mention the actual provocations done by China? Their navy ships steer toward Philippine ships at high speed, and have even rammed them. They have moved two ships up on both sides of a Philippine coast guard ship, and attacked it with high-pressure water cannons, that would wound or kill anyone who was on deck. That is an act of war.
"But it's called South CHINA Sea!" some say then. It was named by Portuguese sailors. So what. Look at the map. It's the sea outside Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, with China to the north.
China simply declares to all these nations "We own the water outside all your borders" with no justification. Their claims are absurd.
That the U.S. politicians act bad in many international issues does not mean that any foreign nation is somehow always good, just because the U.S., along with other countries, condemns them.
But some people will simply "attach" themselves to China to feel that they are on the side of a strong nation.
And no, none of this means that China will invade Taiwan. It is possible to not view a country as all good or all bad. It doesn't have to be "Washington BAD and China GOOD!" or "Washington GOOD and China BAD!"
China just wants to insure Freedom of Navigation. Are the Falkland Islands closer to Argentina or England?
Most Filipinos don't care about their own government, the rest don't bother to vote.. it's a very poor nation where people eat left over trashcan food called Pag pag.
corruption is high within the government and recently the vice president wanted to assassinate the president.
if you think they care much about American interest you're deluding yourselves with the input of those who have money to lose.
same with Taiwan… Try to speak English outside the government/tourist areas.. you'll liable to get beaten if you don't speak Chinese. Things ain't what they appear but those who fell for the Iraq lie will fall for this one as well.
”Just tap your heals together and say: There’s no place like home”…
“And little Toto too?” “Um hum.”
”Tin soldiers and Nixon coming, we’re finally on our own! This summer I hear the drumming! Forget it Ohio! Forget it Ohio!”
Gonna get down to it! Soldiers are gunning us down. Shoulda been done long ago! Forget it Ohio, forget it Ohio!”
Pentagon should also send Philippines the same number of Body Bags…!
The average salary is $400 a month in the Philippines so they will have no problems hiring hookers
A grounded rusted out WW2 era ship on a disputed reef. Nothing more needs to be said.