Joint naval exercises near disputed shoal to make waves The United States and the Philippines will begin joint naval maneuvers in the South China Sea next week between the main island of Luzon and a reef claimed by both Beijing and Manila. The six-day exercise, starting Thursday, by the two allies, will be held about 108 kilometers east of Scarborough Shoal, Philippine Navy spokesman Lieutenant-Commander Gregory Fabic announced yesterday. Chinese government vessels are still believed to be patrolling the waters around the shoal after a lengthy standoff last year with the Philippines, which ended with a Filipino retreat. "This was planned way back in 2010. Whatever happened since then was purely coincidental," said Fabic, when asked if holding the exercises there this year are a way for Manila to reassert its sovereignty over the shoal. Beijing claims it has sovereign rights over nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters far away from its main landmass and approaching the coasts of Southeast Asian neighbors. Fabic said an unspecified number of US Navy ships, marines and aircraft will take part in the exercise alongside local navy and coastguard vessels and aircraft, marines and special operations teams. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE thestandard.hk/news_detail.asp?art_id=134806&con_type=1
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 05:34:02 +0000
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