US, allies show force in South China Sea amid China’s territorial claims

[KARAH RUCKER]

WEDNESDAY MARKS THE BEGINNING OF A PIVOTAL TWO-DAY JOINT AIR AND NAVAL EXERCISE IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA, INVOLVING THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, AND THE PHILIPPINES.

THE COUNTRIES SAYING THIS “SHOW OF FORCE”  AIMS TO REINFORCE INTERNATIONAL LAW AMIDST CHINA’S AGGRESSIVE TERRITORIAL EXPANSIONS IN THIS CRUCIAL MARITIME REGION.

IN A JOINT STATEMENT — THE FOUR NATIONS HIGHLIGHTED THEIR COMMITMENT TO ENSURING FREE NAVIGATION THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. THE EXERCISES WILL SPAN MANILA’S 200-NAUTICAL MILE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE, ENHANCING COORDINATION AND OPERATIONAL READINESS AMONG THE ALLIED NAVAL AND AIR FORCES.

MEANWHILE, CHINA LAUNCHED ITS OWN SEA AND AIR COMBAT PATROLS NEAR THE CONTENTIOUS SCARBOROUGH SHOAL IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE A DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE ALLIED MANEUVERS. THE CHINESE MILITARY HAS DECLARED THESE ACTIONS A NECESSARY MEASURE TO MANAGE ‘DISRUPTIVE MILITARY ACTIVITIES’ IN THE REGION, MAINTAINING THAT THEY HAVE THE SITUATION ‘UNDER CONTROL.’

THIS REGION — WHERE APPROXIMATELY $3 TRILLION WORTH OF TRADE FLOWS ANNUALLY — IS HOTLY CONTESTED.  BRUNEI, MALAYSIA, THE PHILIPPINES, TAIWAN, AND VIETNAM ALL DISPUTE CHINA’S EXPANSIVE CLAIMS.

TENSIONS BETWEEN MANILA AND BEIJING HAVE PARTICULARLY INTENSIFIED, WITH BOTH GOVERNMENTS FREQUENTLY ACCUSING EACH OTHER OF AGGRESSIVE MARITIME CONDUCT.

IN JUNE, A TENSE ENCOUNTER IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA ESCALATED AS PERSONNEL FROM OVER EIGHT CHINESE MOTORBOATS RAMMED AND THEN BOARDED TWO PHILIPPINE NAVY INFLATABLE BOATS. THE PHILIPPINE OFFICIALS REPORTED THAT THIS AGGRESSIVE MANEUVER WAS AIMED AT PREVENTING THE TRANSFER OF FOOD, SUPPLIES, AND FIREARMS TO A PHILIPPINE OUTPOST ON SECOND THOMAS SHOAL, A TERRITORY ALSO CLAIMED BY BEIJING.

DURING THE ALTERCATION, THE CHINESE FORCES NOT ONLY SEIZED THE BOATS BUT ALSO INFLICTED DAMAGE USING MACHETES, KNIVES, AND HAMMERS. ADDITIONALLY, THEY CONFISCATED EIGHT M4 RIFLES, NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT, AND OTHER SUPPLIES. THE CONFRONTATION RESULTED IN INJURIES TO SEVERAL FILIPINO NAVY PERSONNEL, WITH ONE INDIVIDUAL LOSING HIS RIGHT THUMB, ACCORDING TO PHILIPPINE SECURITY OFFICIALS.

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