Chinese Warships Monitored During Joint Military Drills in West Philippine Sea

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) confirmed on Thursday that several Chinese warships were observed during joint naval exercises involving the Philippines, the United States, Japan, and Australia in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

According to AFP Public Affairs Chief Colonel Xerxes Trinidad, the recent Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) was successfully conducted on Wednesday despite the presence of the Chinese vessels. He noted that while the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships were monitored at a distance, they did not interfere with the drills.

The exercise, now in its sixth iteration, aimed to enhance regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Participating countries deployed key naval assets, including the Philippines' BRP Jose Rizal, Australia’s HMAS Hobart, Japan’s JS Akizuki, and the US Navy’s USS Benfold, alongside surveillance aircraft from the US and Australia.

The joint activities focused on communication exercises, maritime domain awareness, contact reporting, anti-submarine warfare, and tactical maneuvers to improve coordination and interoperability among the four nations' armed forces. AFP Chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. emphasized that the drills adhered to international law and reinforced the commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight in the contested waters.

Tensions in the region persist as China continues to assert its expansive claims over the South China Sea, including areas claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Despite a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague dismissing China’s claims as lacking legal basis, Beijing has refused to acknowledge the decision.