MANILA: The United States and the Philippines launched annual joint naval war games, days after the latest diplomatic row between Manila and Beijing over the disputed South China Sea.
More than a thousand sailors from the two allies are taking part in the annual “Samasama” anti-submarine, surface and electronic warfare drills off Manila and the south of Luzon, the main island of the Philippines.China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety despite a 2016 international ruling that it has no legal basis, has become a growing concern for Washington and its regional allies.
“There’s no better way to ensure sovereignty and security than to sail and to operate together,” Thomas said.Asked at a news conference to whom he was referring, Thomas said it was important to maintain the right to sail through the area “free from worries about being attacked” or “intimidated”. Beijing responded by warning Manila “not to provoke or stir up trouble” and restated its sovereignty and maritime rights to what it calls Huangyan island.
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