The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations is yet to agree on where it will be holding the naval exercise with the US military as earlier agreed upon by regional defense officials through Singapore, which is this year’s host of the Asean.
The venue for the military exercise agreed between Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen and US Defense Secretary James Mattis during the Asean-US Defense Ministers’ Informal Meeting held last week, would still be taken by a group from the Asean Defense Senior Officials Meeting (ADSOM), said Department of National Defense (DND) Assistant Secretary for Assessments and International Affairs Teodoro Cirilo Torralba.
“No venue yet for the exercise but US was the one who requested an exercise with Asean,” said Torralba in a message to defense reporters sent through Prime Berunia of the DND public affairs service.
“It will be finalized when Thailand convenes the ADSOM Working Group early next year. We will know where it will be taking place,” added Torralba.
Washington’s proposal to train with the regional bloc comes as the the Asean navies conducts their first-ever maritime training exercise with China beginning this week, which is being joined by the Philippine Navy by sending one of its ships.
The weeklong exercise was originally slated from October 22 up to 29, and which excluded the US, will be held in Chinese waters, off the coast of Zhanjiang, China.
The joint Chinese and Asean navy exercise was proposed by Beijing in February this year during the Asean Defense Ministers Meeting in Singapore, wherein it moved for the exclusion of the Asean’s other key regional security partners.
The planned regional naval exercise with the US was seen as Washington’s response to the Chinese-Asean war games.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Navy will also accord honors to a visiting Indonesian Navy ship that will dock today (Monday) at Pier 15 in South Harbor, Manila.
Navy Spokesman Commander Jonathan Zata said the Kri Bima Suci (945) will be in the country for a three-day goodwill visit.
Zata said the Navy will also render an arrival ceremony for the 300-man contingent onboard the BRP Tarlac (LD 601), which is arriving from a port visit in Vladivostok, Russia.