US, Italy, Australia flex naval power in South China Sea
MANILA, Philippines — The United States, Italy and Australia have completed four days of joint drills in the hotly contested South China Sea to express anew their support for a "free and open Indo-Pacific."
From September 8 to 11, the US and Italy navies, alongside the Australian air force, conducted fixed-wing air defense and combined anti-submarine warfare exercises, according to a US Pacific Fleet news release.
The three nations' militaries also exercised interoperable skills in command and control, tactics and anti-surface warfare.
Participants included the US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Russell (DDG 59) and the Royal Australian Air Force's P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
Joining the drills is the Italian Navy Cavour carrier strike group, comprising the flagship of the Italian navy aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (CV 550), the Italian navy Carlo Bergamini-class frigate ITS Alpino (F 594) and the Italian warship ITS Raimondo Montecuccoli (P432).
A carrier strike group is a flexible naval force that can operate in confined waters or in the open ocean, day and night and in all weather conditions.
“These multilateral exercises are a concrete demonstration of the advances we are making alongside our allies and partners in the region,” said Vice Adm. Fred Kacher, commander of the US 7th Fleet.
“They present dynamic opportunities to hone our skills in one of the most complex maritime regions in the world," he said, according to the release.
The Italian carrier strike group made a port call to Manila from September 3 to 8 and shared the Italian forces' best practices with the Philippine Navy.
Rear Adm. Giancarlo Ciappina, commander of the Italian carrier strike group, said the multilateral exercise provided the three nations an opportunity to "highlight... the ability to join, train and be ready to operate together, projecting our forces for months, away from home.“
"Another demonstration of the strong determination and commitment that exists among allies and partners everywhere in the world," he said.
A day after the multilateral exercises concluded, a senior Beijing military official said in a defense forum that China will "crush" any foreign incursion into its territory in the South China Sea, parts of which are referred to as the West Philippine Sea.
China claims nearly the entire South China Sea as its own in defiance of a 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling that dismissed its historic rights claim.
Chinese army Lieutenant General He Lei told journalists on Thursday, September 12, that China hopes the South China Sea "will remain a sea of peace" but will be forced to make a move if "the United States moves its pawns behind the scenes [or] if it pushes countries to the front line, or if the United States itself ends up on the front line."
"We in the Chinese People's Liberation Army will resolutely crush any foreign hostile encroachment on China's territorial, sovereign and maritime rights and interests with firm determination, staunch will, strong capability and effective means," he said.
Both the US and Australia have stood firmly behind the Philippines in its dispute with China over the South China Sea. The two countries have regularly conducted joint military drills with the Philippines and have publicly declared their support for the Philippines' right to defend its territory under international law.
The US has explicitly stated its "ironclad commitment" to come to the Philippines' defense under the Mutual Defense Treaty, which covers armed attacks against Filipino armed forces.
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