MANILA, Philippines — Discussions on the specifics of the joint maritime activities between the United States and the Philippines are still ongoing, the US Embassy in the Philippines said Tuesday.
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez told CNN Philippines on Monday he expects that the exercises may begin as soon as third quarter this year.
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“Our conversations on combined maritime activities with the Philippines are continuing, and our planners are working hard on specific issues such as timing, assets, and logistics,” the embassy said in a statement on Tuesday.
Manila and Washington “agreed to restart joint maritime patrols” in the South China Sea when US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visitied Manila to meet his counterpart, Carlito Galvez Jr., in February.
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A month later, the Department of Foreign Affairs said that the government already kickstarted creating guidelines for combined maritime activities in the West Philippine Sea. DFA Spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza told reporters in March that “operational details, including on the possibility of engaging other regional partners, will be part of Philippine-US discussions within the framework of the [Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagements Board].”
The DFA has yet to respond to Philstar.com's request on Tuesday for an update on the guidelines.
Officials have floated that a trilateral mode of cooperation may be pursued for joint maritime activities, engaging countries such as Japan and Australia.
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The US Embassy on Tuesday pointed out that the end-goal of the planned combined maritime activities “would be to support the Philippines [in] exercising its lawful sovereign maritime rights under international law.”
Among key issues faced by Manila is Beijing’s constant harassment in the West Philippine Sea. China considers a 2016 ruling at the Permanent Court of Arbitration “illegal, null, and void” as it invalidates its claims over areas within its so-called nine-dash line, which includes parts of Philippine waters.
READ: Poll: 84% of Filipinos want to leverage US partnership for WPS defense
— Kaycee Valmonte