Philippines, Japan hold first joint drills in West Philippine Sea
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Japan held their first maritime exercise in the West Philippine Sea on Friday, marking a milestone in both countries' efforts to deter China's growing aggression in the region independent of their ties with the United States.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force conducted the drills in parts of the South China Sea that fall under the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. It involved communication exercises, tactical maneuvering and a photographic exercise, the AFP said in a statement on Friday.
The activity was part of "the ongoing efforts to strengthen regional and international cooperation towards realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific," the AFP said in a statement on Friday.
It also "reinforced the strong ties and mutual commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region," the AFP added.
This comes after the Philippines and Japan signed a landmark troop access on July 8 that allows both countries to deploy military on each other's soil.
The reciprocal access agreement, Japan's first with a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), also lifts restrictions that previously limited Japan to an observer role in the country's annual Balikatan military exercises.
AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. earlier said the troop access agreement would "pave the way for joint military exercises, closer defense cooperation, and robust security relations" between both country's military forces.
China, through its foreign ministry spokesperson, scored the Philippines and Japan for signing the defense pact, calling it as “small circles” that would “encourage a new Cold War and provoke confrontation."
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