US and Philippines begin joint military exercises as tensions with China grow

The United States military started two weeks of joint exercises with its Philippine allies and other international partners on Monday. This is happening at a time when there are growing tensions between Manila and Beijing over disagreements about land and waters in the South China Sea.

Maritime Training Activity Sama Sama 2023 is a big event where different countries like Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Malaysia are coming together with the US and the Philippines to practice and train. This is the seventh time it is happening and it will be the biggest one yet. This information comes from a press release by the US Navy.

The activities near the Philippines will involve practicing how to fight against submarines, ships, and aircrafts, both on the water and on land.

Captemphasized that the phrase “Sama Sama” in Tagalog means “together” and it perfectly represents the essence of this exercise. Sean Lewis, leader of the US Navy’s Destroyer Squadron 7, mentioned in the statement.

“He said that if we work together, we can deal with many types of security problems. By getting more countries involved, we can come up with new ideas and create a strong and unified force that keeps the region stable. ”

The situation in the region is becoming less stable because Chinese coast guard and maritime militia units are having confrontations with Philippine vessels around disputed areas in the South China Sea.

The head of the Philippine Navy, Vice Admiral, said that ‘Samasama’ helps us to confront various dangers together, including protecting our territory and fighting against crimes that occur across borders. According to the state-run Philippine News Agency (PNA), Toribio Adaci Jr. said these words during the opening ceremonies in Manila on Monday.

Last week, Gilberto Teodoro Jr. , who is the defense secretary of the Philippines, had a special interview with CNN. The writer compared Chinese actions in the area to a bully in a schoolyard.

There have been some recent events that have made people in the region worried. For example, Chinese water cannons stopped a Philippine military outpost from getting supplies. Also, a Filipino diver managed to cut through a floating Chinese barrier all by himself. Earlier this year, the coast guard of the Philippines accused a coast guard ship from China of using a powerful laser to shine into the eyes of some of its crew members, causing temporary blindness.

“This is the most obvious example of bullying I can think of,” Teodoro stated. “It’s not about taking your lunch money, but it’s about taking your lunch bag, your chair, and even kicking you out of school. ”

The Philippine president promises to protect the country’s land and says he is not seeking problems.

China’s Foreign Ministry told CNN that the ongoing conflicts at sea between China and the Philippines are mostly because the Philippines keeps causing problems and spreading incorrect information.

China says that Philippine boats are entering its territory in the Spratly Islands, even though a ruling by an international tribunal in 2016 said that Beijing’s claim is not valid.

China says that it has complete control over almost all of the South China Sea, which is a very big area, and the islands and sandbars in it. They even claim control over places that are far away from the Chinese mainland. The Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, and Taiwan also have different claims.

Sama Sama has over 1,800 people from different countries participating, including people from warships in the Philippines, the US, the UK, Japan, and Canada. The exercises will happen in the Southern Luzon area of the Philippine Naval Forces. The headquarters will be on the Pacific coast of the country, which is around 300 miles southeast of Manila. It is also around 560 miles away from the Spratly Islands.