The Philippine Navy will participate in the naval exercise with the Chinese navy and with the Asean militaries in the first-ever regional military exercise in Southeast Asia, defense and military officials confirmed on Monday.
The China-Asean naval exercise will be held from October 22 to 29 in the waters of Zhanjiang, China, as Chinese and Asean military officials have agreed that it should not be held in contested waters.
Navy chief Vice Adm. Robert Empedrad said the naval exercise is Manila’s first-ever military exercise with Beijing and with the whole of Southeast Asia’s navies.
“It’s an Asean navy exercise, Association of Southeast Asian navies and Chinese navy exercise,” said Empedrad, who said he will send an available Navy cargo vessel for the war games.
“We have been holding exercises with Asean navies, but this is the first time that China has become a part of the equation,” he said.
The Philippines is currently holding war games with the United States and Japan in Zambales under Kamandag (Venom), wherein a member of a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force was killed during a traffic accident while on a supply mission.
Empedrad said the war games will involve sea maneuvers, humanitarian assistance and disaster-response operations and other interoperability exercises.
Department of National Defense Spokesman Arsenio Andolong said the joint Chinese and Asean navy exercise was proposed in February this year during the Asean Defense Ministers’ Meeting in Singapore.
“It was proposed to the body, which the body approved. Hence, it was scheduled…October 22 to 29. This will be held in Zhanjiang, China,” he said.
When China proposed the holding of the exercise during the meeting in Singapore, it specifically enjoined the participation of other forces outside the region, including regional allies such as Japan, the United States and Australia.
Beijing said the naval training should only be between China and the Asean.
China did not join the world’s biggest naval exercise Rim of Pacific held in June up to August this year in Hawaii after the US did not invite Beijing, which is a regular participant.
Andolong said China has also earlier conveyed its interest of joining the trilateral patrol that Manila, Indonesia and Malaysia have been holding in the three countries’ waters of maritime concern, but Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur rejected it.
The trilateral patrol was meant to check piracy and other sea crimes in the maritime boundaries of the three states.