NZ joins West Philippine Sea exercises with Philippines, US, Australia, Japan

MANILA, Philippines — New Zealand, for the very first time since similar activities began, has joined Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the United States in a multilateral maritime cooperative activity (MMCA) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has yet to provide details of the combined naval exercises held yesterday inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Australia, Japan and the US have participated in earlier MMCAs in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region and in the name of freedom of navigation and overflight.

AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the combined armed and defense forces of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines and the US are carrying out the latest maritime activity to demonstrate a collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“The naval and air force units of participating nations will operate together, enhancing cooperation and interoperability between our armed forces,” he announced.

“The activity will be conducted in a manner consistent with international law and with due regard to the safety of navigation and the rights and interests of other states,” he added.

Trinidad said the latest MMCA “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 as respect for maritime rights under international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).”

According to him, more details of the latest MMCA will be released once information is available, considering that the activities and naval exercises are ongoing.

The AFP has repeatedly emphasized in the past that the combined naval exercises between the Philippines and its partner nations in the WPS are not directed at any particular country.

Joint sailing in the WPS is being held by the Philippines and its allies amid continuing tensions between the Philippines and China.

China claims almost the entirety of the said body of water, including territories within the Philippines’ EEZ.

This month’s fourth iteration of the MMCA follows the August exercise which saw a two-day combined naval and air force exercise held in the WPS with the military forces of Australia, Canada and the United States.

The US Indo-Pacific Command, in a separate announcement, said the combined exercises will see the naval and air force units of participating nations operating together “enhancing cooperation and interoperability between our armed forces.”

“The US, along with our allies and partners, uphold the right to freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace, as well as respect to the maritime rights under international law,” it declared.