MANILA, Philippine: The armed forces of the Philippines, United States, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand conducted joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea on Saturday.
This marked the first time New Zealand participated in such drills in Manila’s exclusive economic zone. The exercises aimed to enhance military coordination and interoperability between the nations, involving several warships including the U.S. USS Howard, Japan’s JS Sazanami, and New Zealand’s HMNZS Aotearoa.
The drills come amidst heightened tensions between the Philippines and China over disputed areas like the Scarborough Shoal, which has been under China’s control for over a decade.
Australia’s Department of Defence highlighted the drills as a collective commitment to promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Simultaneously, Chinese military forces conducted their own drills in contested waters, hours after Chinese and U.S. diplomats discussed reducing regional tensions. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a stance that has led to conflicts with neighboring countries like Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Australia continues to press China for peace in the region, particularly in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, a major global trade route.
