The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), as well as militaries from the United States and four other nations have begun joint naval exercises off northern Luzon, facing Taiwan.
These drills, called "Sama Sama" (meaning togetherness), come amid rising tensions with China and focus on naval strength and cooperation.
This year's exercises involved nearly 1,000 sailors and personnel from Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the United States, and the Philippines.
The high-intensity drills target anti-submarine, anti-surface, and anti-air warfare, aiming to enhance collaboration among allied forces.
Rear Admiral Todd Cimicata of the U.S. Navy emphasized that the exercises are designed to build partnerships, which create a “deterrent effect” without specifically targeting any nation.
“The intent is not to ruffle feathers but to promote interoperability,” he said from Subic port, west of Manila.
The nine-day exercise includes the U.S. Navy's USS Howard, Canada’s HMCS Vancouver frigate with a CH-148 Cyclone helicopter, Japan’s Shin Maywa US-2 amphibious aircraft, and Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft, alongside Philippine warships.
These drills come shortly after China’s military conducted operations in a disputed part of the South China Sea, intensifying tensions in the region. Admiral Cimicata noted that the exercises had been scheduled months in advance.
China claims almost all of the South China Sea, overlapping with the territorial claims of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
This has led to growing friction with its neighbors and the United States, which has increased its security involvement in the area.
Last month, the U.S. conducted joint maritime exercises with Australia, Japan, and the Philippines in Manila’s exclusive economic zone, marking the first time New Zealand participated. These exercises aim to enhance military interoperability among the nations.
Additionally, the United States’ Marine Rotational Forces – Southeast Asia (MRF-SEA) is set to participate in at least eight exercises this year and next, with operations in Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia.
Colonel Stuart Glenn, Commander of MRF-SEA, described this as their “most robust formation” yet, conducting a record number of exercises since the force’s establishment.
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