By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Clearing out that it was not a provocative action, the Department of National Defense (DND) on Sunday (07 April 2024) underscored that the joint maritime activity between the Philippines, Australia, Japan, and the United States in the West Philippine Sea was just a “show of unity” among the four democratic countries.
It stressed that it was not a show of force against China, which also conducted military “combat patrols” on the same day, Sunday (7 April 2024) in the disputed South China Sea.
“We’re just practicing what is allowed under international law. As I said, it’s a show of unity. If they (China) consider it as a show of force, that is up to them,” DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said.
Citing what they call historical facts, China claims territorial sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea and has been increasingly assertive in the region in recent years.
On Saturday (6 April 2024), the China Coast Guard (CCG) said it had “handled” a situation last April 4 at a disputed reef where several ships from the Philippines were engaged in “illegal” operations.
But the Philippines has remained calm.
“What we’re doing is something that’s practiced by all civilized nations in the world… and what is important is that we are doing this in the name of our national interest in the Philippines. As I mentioned, what we’re getting out of this is the enhancement of our capability and our interoperability with our partners,” Andolong further said.
(el Amigo/MNM)
