Japan, the United States, Australia and the Philippines are set to hold a joint naval exercise on Sunday off the Southeast Asian country’s Palawan Island in the South China Sea, multiple government sources said Tuesday, amid China’s continuing aggressive actions.
It would be the first full-scale exercise involving the four countries, the sources said. The exercise will include anti-submarine warfare training, communication drills and sailing of ships in formation.
Sunday’s planned drill would occur against the backdrop of China’s assertiveness in the resource-rich South China Sea. The latest incident happened on March 23 when the Chinese Coast Guard fired water cannon at a Philippine vessel on a mission to Manila-controlled Second Thomas Shoal.
The vessel was heavily damaged in the incident while Filipino servicemen aboard were injured.
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, even though the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, in a 2016 ruling, invalidated its sweeping claims.
