MANILA, Philippines — Aside from the 14 countries officially tasked to observe the conduct of the ongoing Balikatan Exercises, the Philippines says a 15th country – although uninvited – is doing the same task with just as much or possibly with more vigor and enthusiasm – China.
“I admit I made a mistake. I though there are just 14 countries that will be sending observers,” Balikatan executive agent Col. Michael Logico told reporters at a briefing at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday. “Apparently, there is a 15th country that sent observers,” he said in jest, referring to China, whose warships shadowed and observed the five-day Multilateral Maritime Exercise (MME) conducted by the naval forces of the Philippines, the United States and France as part of the 39th Balikatan Exercises.
The MME, which concluded on Monday, was carried out within the 200-nautical mile Philippine territorial waters.
Logico noted that People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships with bow numbers 167 and 793 were sighted separately in the area in the West Philippine Sea where the MME was being conducted.
“They have the best seat in the house because they were able to witness the best of the Philippine Navy, US Navy and the French Navy and because they were there, training audience got more excited to show off all of their capabilities,” he said.
He added that it would have been better if the PLAN ships had not turned off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders to make their presence known, as long as they refrained from doing anything nasty.
Logico noted that a Notice to Mariners (NOTAM) was actually in effect in the exercise area for safety purposes, considering that the MME included a gunnery or live-fire exercise.
“So for them to enter into our training area knowing fully well that we are conducting these types of activities, it was a big risk on their part for them to do that,” he explained.
He stressed that China clearly violated the NOTAM and that an incident report would be sent to the National task Force on the West Philippine Sea.
“What is important is that the entire event transpired according to plan. They showed up and it was expected that they would show up, and I would be disappointed if they didn’t show up, because that would mean we were not important. But we were important enough for them to show up, that is the important thing,” he said.
Asked if China was legally allowed to observe, Logico said China was not invited but the exercises were made 35 nautical miles away on high seas, meaning their presence there could still be considered part of freedom of navigation.
“For as long as they did not launch any aircraft from their ships or send any underwater assets below or conduct any illegal or dangerous maneuvers, that would have been fine,” Logico said.
“However, they entered into a training, an established training area that has been covered by a Notice to Mariners that was created for their safety and the safety of all commercial vessels. Entering it would have been a big risk on their part,” he pointed out.
Logico said there were no communication challenges made because the PLAN ships turned off their AIS transponders, which was not unusual because they had been doing this in the past.
“We expected it (switch off AIS) to happen, which is good because they get to observe us and they get a chance to be impressed by our skill,” he said.
Logico said the presence of the PLAN vessels did not interfere with the MME or intimidate the participants, hence the success of the joint exercises.
“I would see it as they were reacting to us, so if they reacted to our presence, then we have the initiative all along. For a change, they’re the ones reacting to us which means that whatever we did was deeply troubling them, deeply affecting them that they saw a need to send two ships. So again, as I said, that is not our problem, that is their problem,” he said
Logico said the MME also helped the AFP to deliver provisions to military personnel in Patag Island unmolested.