The Guardian-Australia and Philippines begin joint patrols in South China Sea as regional tensions rise
November 25, 2023 3 min 436 words
澳大利亚与菲律宾在南海展开联合巡逻，应对中国不断崛起引发的地区紧张局势。这次三天的演习旨在强调两国对更紧密合作和该地区基于规则的秩序的承诺，也是在菲律宾与美国进行类似巡逻后的几天内进行的。澳大利亚国防部长理查德·马尔斯表示，这是两国去年九月签署的战略伙伴关系的实际实施。他在与菲律宾国防部长吉尔伯托·C·特奥多罗共同发表的声明中表示：“澳大利亚和菲律宾坚定致力于一个和平、安全和繁荣的地区，其中主权和约定的规则和规范得到尊重。”这次行动是应对中国在南海的“侵略性活动”的一部分，也是两国在防务和安全方面更深层次伙伴关系的实际体现。在南海局势紧张，澳大利亚与菲律宾的这一联合行动旨在维护基于规则的国际秩序，同时展示了对地区和平的坚定承诺。
Australia and the Philippines have begun joint sea and air patrols in the South China Sea as Pacific nations warily eye an increasingly assertive China.
The three-day exercises follow discussions earlier this year on joint patrols to underscore what the countries say is their commitment to closer cooperation and a rules-based order in the region.
It also comes days after Manila took similar steps with the US, concluding patrols that started in waters near Taiwan.
Australia’s defence minister, Richard Marles, said the inaugural patrols represent the practical implementation of the strategic partnership signed between the two nations in September.
“Australia and the Philippines are firmly committed to a peaceful, secure and prosperous region, where sovereignty and agreed rules and norms are respected,” he said on Saturday in a joint statement with the Philippine national defence secretary, Gilberto C Teodoro Jr.
“The first maritime cooperative activity between the Australian Defence Force and Armed Forces of the Philippines demonstrates this important commitment.”
The Philippine defence department spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said the patrols would be carried out in the West Philippine Sea, Manila’s term for waters in the South China Sea that fall within its exclusive economic zone.
The Philippine military said two of its navy vessels and five surveillance aircraft would participate.
Australia said it would send the frigate HMAS Toowoomba and P8-A maritime surveillance aircraft.
The Philippine president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, hailed the exercises as maintaining a rules-based international order.
“This inaugural Maritime Cooperative Activity and those that may follow are a practical manifestation of the growing and deepening strategic and defense partnership between our countries,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3tn of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 said China’s claims had no legal basis.
The Philippines is ramping up efforts to counter what it describes as China’s “aggressive activities” in the South China Sea, which has also become a flashpoint for Chinese and US tensions around naval operations.
China has accused the Philippines of enlisting “foreign forces” to patrol the South China Sea. Manila insists the maritime activities are within its rights.
Earlier this year, prime minister Anthony Albanese vowed to take Australia’s relationship with the Philippines to the next level, after the two nations signed closer defence and security ties.