MANILA, Aug 2: The Philippine and Japanese navies held their first joint exercise on Friday in the South China Sea, as the two US allies boost security ties in the face of China's growing pressure.
The drills followed the signing less than a month ago of an agreement between Manila and Tokyo to allow the deployment of troops on each other's territory.
The Japanese destroyer JS Sazanami and the Philippine guided missile frigate BRP Jose Rizal took part in the two countries' first bilateral "Maritime Cooperative Activity", the Philippine military said in a statement.
"This activity was part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen regional and international cooperation towards realising a free and open Indo-Pacific."
The two vessels held a communications exercise and undertook tactical manoeuvres in the West Philippine Sea, Manila's name for parts of the South China Sea that are closest to the Filipino coast.
These "enhanced the tactical capabilities of the Philippine Navy and the (Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force) and reinforced the strong ties and mutual commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region," the statement added.
During the exercises, a Jiangdao-class corvette of the Chinese navy was observed in the area about 7.4 kilometres (4.6 miles) away and a Jiangkai-class frigate was seen about nine kilometres away, Philippine military spokesman Xerxes Trinidad said. —AFP
