Advertisement
Opinion | South China Sea: as Australia strengthens ties with the Philippines, it’s wading even further into dangerous waters
- Australia and the Philippines should be aware of risks posed by their alliances with the US, which could potentially draw them into a conflict in the South China Sea
- Canberra’s push to deepen its strategic ties with Manila comes at a time of heightened tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea
Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
8
Late last week, 1,200 Australian troops took part in a joint military exercise in the Philippines with hundreds of Filipino and American forces. Their mission: simulating the retaking of an island by a hostile force, presumably in the South China Sea.
Advertisement
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles joined Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr to observe the drills, reportedly the largest ever between the nations. Marles then announced Australia would soon begin joint maritime patrols with the Philippines in the contested South China Sea.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will also visit the Philippines next month and meet Marcos on September 8, with maritime issues, defence and security on the agenda.
Although Marles was careful not to reference China directly during a press conference in the Philippines, Australia’s push to deepen its strategic ties with Manila comes at a time of heightened tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea, known as the West Philippine Sea in the Philippines.
In early August, a Chinese coastguard vessel used a water cannon against a Filipino coastguard boat that was attempting to deliver supplies to soldiers manning a grounded naval vessel on Second Thomas Shoal (or Ayungin in the Philippines).
Manila maintains the shoal is in its exclusive economic zone. China, meanwhile, claims it falls within its sovereign territory.
Advertisement
The incident is just the latest in a series of aggressive, harassing actions by the Chinese coastguard and maritime militia in the area this year.
Advertisement