The United States, Japan, Australia and the Philippines will conduct exercises in the South China Sea

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The United States, Japan, Australia and the Philippines will hold their first joint naval exercises, including anti-submarine warfare training, in a show of force Sunday in the South China Sea as Beijing acts aggressively to assert its sovereignty. Territorial claims have caused concern.

They said in a joint statement issued by their defense that the four allied treaty nations and security partners are conducting exercises to protect “the rule of law that forms the foundation of a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region” and support freedom of navigation and overflight. Saturday leaders.

China was not mentioned by name in the statement, but the four countries reaffirmed their position of… International arbitration award 2016The decision, which invalidated China's expansionist claims on historical grounds, was final and legally binding.

China refused to participate in the arbitration, rejected the ruling and continues to challenge it. The Philippines referred its disputes with China to international arbitration in 2013 after a tense maritime standoff.

There was no immediate comment from China.

Last year, the Chinese Foreign Ministry warned against this Military exercises in which the United States participates And its allies in disputed waters, which harms its security and regional interests.

The four countries said: “We stand with all nations in protecting the international order based on the rule of law that represents the foundation for a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region,” but did not provide specific details about the military exercises, which are called “military exercises.” Maritime cooperative activity.

Japan said in a statement issued by its embassy in Manila that it will deploy its destroyer GS Akebono to participate in the South China Sea exercises, which will include anti-submarine warfare exercises and other military maneuvers.

Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said: “Japan believes that the issue related to the South China Sea is directly related to peace and stability in the region and is a legitimate concern for the international community, including Japan, Australia, the Philippines and the United States.” He said in the statement.

He added: “Japan opposes any unilateral changes to the status quo by force, and such attempts, as well as any actions that increase tensions in the South China Sea.”

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a separate statement that the exercises “underscore our shared commitment to ensuring that all nations enjoy the freedom to fly, sail, and operate anywhere permitted by international law.”

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said: “Respect for national sovereignty and agreed rules and norms on the basis of international law supports the stability of our region.” Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Sunday's military exercises would be the first in a series of activities to build the Philippines' “capacity for individual and collective self-defense.”

Besides China and the Philippines, long-running disputes in the South China Sea, a major global trade route, also involve Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. But skirmishes between Beijing and Manila have particularly flared up since last year.

Washington does not claim sovereignty over the strategic sea lane, but it has done so repeatedly It warned that it was obligated to defend its long-term ally, the Philippines If Philippine forces, ships and aircraft are subjected to armed attack, including in the South China Sea.

China warned the United States against interfering in the disputes, which raised fears of escalation into a major conflict that could involve the two world powers.

Japan has separate territorial disputes with China East China Sea islands. Rising tensions in disputed waters will be high on the agenda when President Joe Biden hosts his Japanese and Philippine counterparts in… Summit at the White House next week.

In the latest hostilities last month, China's coast guard used water cannons, wounding a Filipino admiral and four of his naval personnel and severely damaging their wooden supply boat near the water. Thomas Scholl II. Philippine military officials said the cannon explosion was so powerful that it knocked one of the crew members off the ground, but he hit a wall instead of sinking into the sea.

The Philippine government summoned a diplomat to the Chinese embassy in Manila to convey the “strongest protest” against China. Beijing accused Philippine ships of entering Chinese territorial waters, warned Manila against “playing with fire,” and said China would continue to take measures to defend its sovereignty.