Australian, US, Filipino forces practice retaking an island in a drill along the South China Sea

[auspice]

August 26, 2023

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Australian and Filipino forces, backed by U.S. Marines, practiced retaking an island seized by hostile forces in a large military drill Friday on the northwestern Philippine coast facing the disputed South China Sea.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and visiting Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles watched the mock beach landings, assaults and helicopter insertion of forces on a Philippine navy base with 1,200 Australians, 560 Filipinos and 120 U.S. Marines participating.

On Monday, Australian, Filipino and American forces conducted air assault maneuvers in Rizal town in western Palawan province, which also faces the South China Sea.

“It’s an important aspect of how we prepare for any eventuality and considering that there have been so many events that attest to the volatility of the region,” Marcos said in a news conference after the drills.

Marles said in a separate news conference with his Philippine counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro Jr., that the drills were aimed at promoting the rule of law and peace in the region.

“The message that we want to convey to the region and to the world from an exercise of this kind is that we are two countries committed to the global rules-based order,” Marles said. “We are committed to an idea of a world in which disputes are determined by reference to international law.”

“Peace is maintained through the protection of the global rules-based order and its functionality around the world and, in truth, around the world today, we see it under pressure,” Marles said.

Marles and Teodoro said in a joint statement that they would pursue plans for joint patrols in the South China Sea, which the Australian defense chief said may be launched soon.

They reaffirmed support for a 2016 ruling by an arbitration tribunal in The Hague under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea that largely invalidated China’s claim to virtually the entire South China Sea and upheld the Philippines’ control over resources in a 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

China refused to participate in the arbitration and continues to defy the ruling.

In the latest flare-ups in the disputes, a Chinese coast guard ship used a water cannon on Aug. 5 to try to block a Philippine supply run at Second Thomas Shoal, where Filipino troops are stationed.

Australia and the U.S. expressed support to the Philippines and raised strong concerns over the Chinese coast guard ships’ actions. Washington renewed a warning that it is obligated to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under attack, including in the South China Sea.

Two Philippine supply boats managed to pass the Chinese blockade on Tuesday in a tense confrontation witnessed by journalists from The Associated Press.

China has warned the U.S. not to meddle in what it says is a purely Asian dispute. Washington has said it will continue patrolling the disputed waters to promote freedom of navigation and overflight.

Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping territorial claims in the waterway, a potential Asian flashpoint which has also become a delicate front in the U.S.-China rivalry.

___​

Associated Press writer Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed to this report.

Australian, US, Filipino forces practice retaking an island in a drill along the South China Sea

Australian and Filipino forces, backed by U.S. Marines, have practiced retaking an island seized by hostile forces in a large military drill on the northwestern Philippine coast facing the South China Sea.

apnews.com

 

[kingQamaR]

They are preparing for war but they want you believe it’s just war games

Just like having a functional, large aircraft carrier, the only countries with experience in large amphibious operations are the U.S. and England. China does not have aircraft carriers remotely as capable as U.S. carriers because it is a difficult ship to operate effectively. For amphibious operations it's not just building landing craft and setting out, there are a lot of difficulties in making an effective amphibious assault that you really only understand through experience. The distance from the English coast to France is about 21 miles, the distance to Taiwan from China is about 100 miles. It will be very difficult to cross that effectively, especially if the Taiwanese attack them during the crossing. Add to that the landing and establishment of an effective beachhead and harbour to send supplies, troops, vehicles and fuel, the Chinese have substantial obstacles to overcome.

 

[Reashot Xigwin]

View attachment 948759

August 26, 2023

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Australian and Filipino forces, backed by U.S. Marines, practiced retaking an island seized by hostile forces in a large military drill Friday on the northwestern Philippine coast facing the disputed South China Sea.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and visiting Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles watched the mock beach landings, assaults and helicopter insertion of forces on a Philippine navy base with 1,200 Australians, 560 Filipinos and 120 U.S. Marines participating.

On Monday, Australian, Filipino and American forces conducted air assault maneuvers in Rizal town in western Palawan province, which also faces the South China Sea.

“It’s an important aspect of how we prepare for any eventuality and considering that there have been so many events that attest to the volatility of the region,” Marcos said in a news conference after the drills.

Marles said in a separate news conference with his Philippine counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro Jr., that the drills were aimed at promoting the rule of law and peace in the region.

“The message that we want to convey to the region and to the world from an exercise of this kind is that we are two countries committed to the global rules-based order,” Marles said. “We are committed to an idea of a world in which disputes are determined by reference to international law.”

“Peace is maintained through the protection of the global rules-based order and its functionality around the world and, in truth, around the world today, we see it under pressure,” Marles said.

Marles and Teodoro said in a joint statement that they would pursue plans for joint patrols in the South China Sea, which the Australian defense chief said may be launched soon.

They reaffirmed support for a 2016 ruling by an arbitration tribunal in The Hague under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea that largely invalidated China’s claim to virtually the entire South China Sea and upheld the Philippines’ control over resources in a 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

China refused to participate in the arbitration and continues to defy the ruling.

In the latest flare-ups in the disputes, a Chinese coast guard ship used a water cannon on Aug. 5 to try to block a Philippine supply run at Second Thomas Shoal, where Filipino troops are stationed.

Australia and the U.S. expressed support to the Philippines and raised strong concerns over the Chinese coast guard ships’ actions. Washington renewed a warning that it is obligated to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under attack, including in the South China Sea.

Two Philippine supply boats managed to pass the Chinese blockade on Tuesday in a tense confrontation witnessed by journalists from The Associated Press.

China has warned the U.S. not to meddle in what it says is a purely Asian dispute. Washington has said it will continue patrolling the disputed waters to promote freedom of navigation and overflight.

Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping territorial claims in the waterway, a potential Asian flashpoint which has also become a delicate front in the U.S.-China rivalry.

___​

Associated Press writer Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed to this report.

Australian, US, Filipino forces practice retaking an island in a drill along the South China Sea

Australian and Filipino forces, backed by U.S. Marines, have practiced retaking an island seized by hostile forces in a large military drill on the northwestern Philippine coast facing the South China Sea.

apnews.com

Nice to see fellow boomer here long time no see @auspice

Save to say the chinese are going to get their communist asses kicked by the new asian coalition.