China, US and allies hold competing military drills in tense South China Sea

[craig nigrelli]

TENSIONS ARE RUNNING HIGH IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AS CHINA CONDUCTS MILITARY DRILLS NEAR A DISPUTED FLASHPOINT, WHILE THE US AND ITS ASIA-PACIFIC PARTNERS STAGE A JOINT NAVAL EXERCISE IN NEARBY WATERS.

THE CHINESE MILITARY ANNOUNCED “ROUTINE” EARLY WARNING AND RECONNAISSANCE DRILLS, ALONG WITH PATROLS AROUND SCARBOROUGH SHOAL, A CONTESTED ATOLL WITHIN THE PHILIPPINES’ EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE. HOWEVER, PHILIPPINE DEFENSE OFFICIALS REPORTED THEY OBSERVED NO CHINESE DRILLS IN THE AREA.

A PHILIPPINE NAVY SPOKESPERSON SUGGESTED CHINA’S PUBLIC STATEMENTS ABOUT THE EXERCISES MAY BE AIMED AT A DOMESTIC AUDIENCE, WHERE THE GOVERNMENT FACES PRESSURE TO PROJECT STRENGTH IN TERRITORIAL DISPUTES.

MEANWHILE, THE US SEVENTH FLEET JOINED NAVAL UNITS FROM THE PHILIPPINES, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA, AND NEW ZEALAND FOR A JOINT EXERCISE WITHIN THE PHILIPPINES’ EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE. WARSHIPS AND AIRCRAFT FROM THE FIVE NATIONS PARTICIPATED IN SURFACE MANEUVERS AND SEARCH-AND-RESCUE OPERATIONS.

THE EXERCISE COMES AS WASHINGTON AND ITS ALLIES STEP UP COOPERATION IN THE REGION IN RESPONSE TO A MORE ASSERTIVE BEIJING, WHICH CLAIMS SOVEREIGNTY OVER MOST FEATURES IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA — PUTTING CHINA AT ODDS WITH COMPETING CLAIMS BY THE PHILIPPINES, VIETNAM, INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, TAIWAN, AND BRUNEI.

IN 2016, THE HAGUE RULED THAT CHINA’S CLAIMS WERE UNSUPPORTED BY INTERNATIONAL LAW, A DECISION BEIJING REJECTS.

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN AND CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER WANG YI MET TO ADDRESS THESE REGIONAL TENSIONS. WANG REITERATED CHINA’S COMMITMENT TO DIALOGUE, WHILE BLINKEN RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT CHINA’S ACTIONS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.

FOR MORE OF OUR UNBIASED — STRAIGHT FACTS REPORTING — DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT US AT SAN – DOT – COM.