Philippines, US, Japan, Australia sail together in West Philippine Sea

MANILA, Philippines — Demonstrating anew a united stand in upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific region, naval and air force assets from the United States, Japan, Australia and the Philippines sailed the waters of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) together yesterday.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. announced the conduct of the 6th Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA), this year’s first under the new Trump administration.

Warships and air assets from the four participating nations carried out drills and interoperability exercises just a day after the Philippine Air Force and the US Pacific Air Forces also held a joint air patrol and air intercept training event in the area near the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc utilizing two B-1 bombers and three FA-50 fighter jets on Tuesday.

The 6th MMCA was conducted less than three weeks after the Philippines and the US carried out joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea on Jan. 17 and 18 participated in by the Carl Vinson carrier strike group, two guided missile destroyers, two helicopters and two F-18 Hornet aircraft on the US side and the BRP Antonio Luna frigate, BRP Andres Bonifacio patrol ship, two FA-50 fighter jets and search and rescue assets of the PAF on the part of the Philippines.

Brawner said this latest combined military exercise demonstrates “a collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

He said the naval and air force units of participating nations operated together to enhance cooperation and interoperability among the armed forces.

With China expected to again react negatively to the military drills despite the AFP’s repeated declarations that the MMCAs are not directed at any particular country, Brawner gave assurance that the exercises are being conducted “in a manner consistent with international law and with due regard for the safety of navigation and the rights and interests of other states.”

“This underscores our shared commitments to upholding the right to freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace, as well